dielmann vs. viking

[buffaloaded]

Has anyone experienced both the Peter Dielmann and Viking cruising in Europe. I would love to know how the ambience, tours, and food compare. Anything else related would be great too.

[steamboats]

buffaloaded,

You´re comparing apples with pears! Deilmann is a very upscale cruise company rated 5 stars plus while Viking River Cruises is rated 3+/4 stars. You can compare Viking with Avalon, Amadeus, Uniworld, Grand Circle, Vantage.. If you want to compare Deilmann with any other European river cruise company than take River Cloud (Sea Cloud).

You may read my review of our cruise on Deilmann´s Mozart linked in my signature. You will experience first class food with up to nine courses and 10 cooks aboard the Mozart who all learned in the best hotels all over the world. Evening entertainment was also very upscale with classic music (mainly young but very talented entertainers). Tours are usually not included (Deilmann US offers tour packages and sometimes special offers do include all shore tours). We´ve been only on one tour (as most of the tours are not interesting for DD who was 6 years old then) and this one was very good. Deilmann is using a bus company for all tours and the busses accompany the ships.

steamboats

[Twice_a_year]

I went on a river cruise in 2006 and recieved much of my "true" information from Steamboats. I trust her opinion.

[jgnova]

And we were on Mozart for the cruise after Steamboats' last year -- DH wrote an extensive review which you should be able to find on this board (esp if you sort by number of views). We have no experience with Viking but many others who post here have provided reviews also.
S