Viking Aegir first and last time!

We are currently onboard the Viking Aegir, and in a nut shell, Viking is charging close to 5 Star + prices, but delivering less then a 5 star experience! Viking prices had gone from the bargin basement to 5 star +prices with their rollout of 'longships', but they have a long way to go if they want to keep this luxury market! Their service level is a joke!

First thing, two of the LONGEST day tour is on the first two days of this 10-11 days itinerary! I do understand this is unavoidable because of locations, but hardly a relaxing start or something to go thru after a 10+ hours flight (even with a night's sleep)! You are on a bus for several hours for a tour that last much less then the bus ride.

Once onboard, we were greeted with a cabin stewardess that keeps coming back to our room to 'drop off' stuff that we had requested WHEN we were unpacking with extremely limited space to even walk! She just basically climb over our suitecases! We even got to the point and told her to do this after we are at dinner but she still comes back! Its like getting service by a motel 6 maid! The clincher is when we asked for 4 extra pillows! The reactions we got was like 'why would you need 4 extra pillows'???

Our Heys hardcase was broke in the corner when we saw it in our room! This material is practically indestructible, we have had this bag to Asia and beyond thru miles of rough airlines handling with just cosmetic scratches. Inorder for it to break, it was probably some unimaginable trauma that our bag was meet with!

BEWARE of what u are told by their agent in the US, dinner is not OPEN TIME DINNING, ALL guest are expected to start at the same time! 'Dine when and with whom u wish' is NOT TRUE! Viking need to take this out of their advertising and literature! I will be making a formal complain with whatever appropriate consumer protection department when i return to the US.

With all that said, the things u hear about how excellent their onboard staff is, is absolutely TRUE, at least to 90% of their general staff. Most do try their best (given the cultural differences)! I did overheard a waiter raising his voice to a group of customer asking the status of their drinks, which was a bit shocking (these poor proper English folkes was shocked into silence)!

If Viking is listening, I will not be spending my $$ on Viking on future cruises. They need to get their act together! I can spend the same and stay in a Heaven suite with NCL and get a better product for my money!!!

I won't get into much of your complaints, but I've taken several river cruises and meal times were always fixed. Your TA was wrong but I won't blame

Viking for that.

I won't get into much of your complaints, but I've taken several river cruises and meal times were always fixed. Your TA was wrong but I won't blame

Viking for that.

Thank you for jumping to conclusions! We did not use a TA, it was booked thru Viking directly! It was several of their agents that told us it's open time seating! Plus it's in their promos!

Thank you for jumping to conclusions! We did not use a TA, it was booked thru Viking directly! It was several of their agents that told us it's open time seating! Plus it's in their promos!

I just have to wonder how much research you did here on CC.... There are extensive posts about various Rivercruise journeys that members have taken. Lot of talk of dinner seating in particular and the very busy port intensive tours and long bus trips.

Apparently river cruising Is just not for you, it is a completely different experience than an ocean cruise.

We are currently onboard the Viking Aegir, and in a nut shell, Viking is charging close to 5 Star + prices, but delivering less then a 5 star experience! Viking prices had gone from the bargin basement to 5 star +prices with their rollout of 'longships', but they have a long way to go if they want to keep this luxury market! Their service level is a joke!

 

First thing, two of the LONGEST day tour is on the first two days of this 10-11 days itinerary! I do understand this is unavoidable because of locations, but hardly a relaxing start or something to go thru after a 10+ hours flight (even with a night's sleep)! You are on a bus for several hours for a tour that last much less then the bus ride.

 

Once onboard, we were greeted with a cabin stewardess that keeps coming back to our room to 'drop off' stuff that we had requested WHEN we were unpacking with extremely limited space to even walk! She just basically climb over our suitecases! We even got to the point and told her to do this after we are at dinner but she still comes back! Its like getting service by a motel 6 maid! The clincher is when we asked for 4 extra pillows! The reactions we got was like 'why would you need 4 extra pillows'???

 

Our Heys hardcase was broke in the corner when we saw it in our room! This material is practically indestructible, we have had this bag to Asia and beyond thru miles of rough airlines handling with just cosmetic scratches. Inorder for it to break, it was probably some unimaginable trauma that our bag was meet with!

 

BEWARE of what u are told by their agent in the US, dinner is not OPEN TIME DINNING, ALL guest are expected to start at the same time! 'Dine when and with whom u wish' is NOT TRUE! Viking need to take this out of their advertising and literature! I will be making a formal complain with whatever appropriate consumer protection department when i return to the US.

 

With all that said, the things u hear about how excellent their onboard staff is, is absolutely TRUE, at least to 90% of their general staff. Most do try their best (given the cultural differences)! I did overheard a waiter raising his voice to a group of customer asking the status of their drinks, which was a bit shocking (these poor proper English folkes was shocked into silence)!

 

If Viking is listening, I will not be spending my $$ on Viking on future cruises. They need to get their act together! I can spend the same and stay in a Heaven suite with NCL and get a better product for my money!!!

What were your day long tours. Were they anything worth skipping?

I just have to wonder how much research you did here on CC.... There are extensive posts about various Rivercruise journeys that members have taken. Lot of talk of dinner seating in particular and the very busy port intensive tours and long bus trips.

 

Apparently river cruising Is just not for you, it is a completely different experience than an ocean cruise.

You are absolutely right! I should have spend hours looking at posting when planning a trip instead of trusting what the tour company that I am buying from tells me! I just wish I am as luck as u to have that much time looking at posting instead of having a career and working!!

Please do the world a favor, don't contribute if u have nothing but judgement without knowing the facts! This site is for trading helpful information, and yours is of no help what so ever!

What were your day long tours. Were they anything worth skipping?

Yeah, I could have skipped them but I figured they were paid for as a total cruise package so I should at least give it a try! Both started at 9am and did not end until dark, which I think was around 6 or 7pm

:eek:

Yeah, I could have skipped them but I figured they were paid for as a total cruise package so I should at least give it a try! Both started at 9am and did not end until dark, which I think was around 6 or 7pm

:eek:

What towns?

What towns?

Romania and Bulgaria

Romania and Bulgaria

Tough call. I wouldn't,t want to miss those tours. How is the weather? Have you been able to go topside?

You are absolutely right! I should have spend hours looking at posting when planning a trip instead of trusting what the tour company that I am buying from tells me! I just wish I am as luck as u to have that much time looking at posting instead of having a career and working!!

Please do the world a favor, don't contribute if u have nothing but judgement without knowing the facts! This site is for trading helpful information, and yours is of no help what so ever!

Thank you for your imput, I believe Cruise Critic to be an extremely valuable research tool along with Trip Advisor. IMHO I would never ever spend many $1,000's of dollars on a vacation based on the promotional material supplied by the vendor or slick commercials on TV. I come to CC ahead of time to see what fellow travels have to say and see if my dreamed of trip is really what I think it is.

I am grateful that after a long career I can now enjoy the opportunity to research the trips I would like to take. As I stated before, river cruising just doesn't seem to be your cup of tea or possibly Viking is not the line for you.

RCDR, I am very sorry your trip is not exactly the one you had hoped for. Possibly when it's all over you will have a different opinion.

Once onboard, we were greeted with a cabin stewardess that keeps coming back to our room to 'drop off' stuff that we had requested WHEN we were unpacking with extremely limited space to even walk! She just basically climb over our suitecases!

Sounds like the Marx Brothers cruise in A Night at the Opera!

Tough call. I wouldn't,t want to miss those tours. How is the weather? Have you been able to go topside?

Rain has not been a problem for this cruise so far

Thank you for your imput, I believe Cruise Critic to be an extremely valuable research tool along with Trip Advisor. IMHO I would never ever spend many $1,000's of dollars on a vacation based on the promotional material supplied by the vendor or slick commercials on TV. I come to CC ahead of time to see what fellow travels have to say and see if my dreamed of trip is really what I think it is.

 

I am grateful that after a long career I can now enjoy the opportunity to research the trips I would like to take. As I stated before, river cruising just doesn't seem to be your cup of tea or possibly Viking is not the line for you.

That is a sad state when u cannot trust what is being sold to u!

RCDR, I am very sorry your trip is not exactly the one you had hoped for. Possibly when it's all over you will have a different opinion.

Much appericate your kind words! I think you might have a point, guess I was just not happy about this trip on the ship so far....

You are right, river cruise might not be for us! At least we gave it a try after years of wondering if it's a good fit!

Viking isn't the best river cruise line (despite what their ads say - you really believe everything you hear in ads? LOL), but your complaints indicate that maybe river cruising just isn't for you even under the best circumstances.

Much appericate your kind words! I think you might have a point, guess I was just not happy about this trip on the ship so far....

You are right, river cruise might not be for us! At least we gave it a try after years of wondering if it's a good fit!

Possibly over the course of your trip things will all even out! Just give it some time and remember this is a completely different creature than an ocean cruise. Also if you find your ship " Rafted" with another companies boat take the opportunity to snoop around, you might just find another river provider that suits you.

Safe journey :)

Viking isn't the best river cruise line (despite what their ads say - you really believe everything you hear in ads? LOL), but your complaints indicate that maybe river cruising just isn't for you even under the best circumstances.

I don't believe what I hear all the time, but I will fight to hold companies responsible for their words! The day when we doubt everything is when it all ends!

Possibly over the course of your trip things will all even out! Just give it some time and remember this is a completely different creature than an ocean cruise. Also if you find your ship " Rafted" with another companies boat take the opportunity to snoop around, you might just find another river provider that suits you.

Safe journey :)

Thanks for pointing that out! I have heard about the dock neighbors but so far we have only seen one other tied in front of us. Will def snoop around if we get a chance! Thanks again :)

I don't believe what I hear all the time, but I will fight to hold companies responsible for their words! The day when we doubt everything is when it all ends!

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

--WB Yeats

Written in 1919. It all ended then.

RCDR from Viking web site:

Meals are open seating during set meal times—no table reservations are accepted. Room service is not available.

I think you misunderstood open seating (that they do have) with anytime dining.

At lunch and dinner you are able to arrive whenever you like.

Now that you have settled in, how are your daily tours. Are they well run with decent size groups. A recent poster said the tours on this cruise were too large.

Hoping to hear more about your experience

dinner is not OPEN TIME DINNING, ALL guest are expected to start at the same time!

At lunch and dinner you are able to arrive whenever you like.

Not for dinner on OP's cruise, apparently.