Viking Portraits of Southern France

I've just noticed that there are some changes on this cruise in 2016.

2016 the cruise starts at Lyon and head north to visit and taste Beajolais

2015 the cruise starts Chalon-sur-Saône and you're bussed from Lyon airport north to board it, the visit and tasting is of Burgundy in Beaune with a visit to the Hospice.

So more cruising, less coach travel in 2016 but lacking avisit to the world famous and iconic historic Hospice de Beaune

Yes, the change to me seems unwarranted. More cruising may be good, but why pass up the chance to see this magnificient historical hospice? I just don't see the benefit to the 2016 change.

The river north of Lyon seems to be more problematic, so Viking may be reacting to this year's navigational problems. The new itinerary is likely to be delivered as advertised more consistently.

The river north of Lyon seems to be more problematic, so Viking may be reacting to this year's navigational problems. The new itinerary is likely to be delivered as advertised more consistently.

But the with the new itinerary there's double the cruising north of Lyon.

I could understand your first sentence. If north of Lyon is a problem they could just head south from Lyon instead of now where the boat starts north of Lyon, Maybe I'm thick but I therefore don't understand your second second.

The Portraits of Southern France for 2016 is no longer showing on Viking's website. You can see the itinerary if you look at France's Finest. We returned from this trip at the end of April. The new itinerary does not increase cruising time since it is a bus trip from Lyon to Beaujolais and then the bus back to Lyon. The other change in the itinerary is the visit to the Tournon/Tain l'Hermitage area. There is no mention of Tain l'Hermitage just Tournon, and the included excursion is only the Ardèche Steam Train. We chose that instead of Tain l'Hermitage (and the chocolate factory), and it was a mistake. The train does go up a hillside, but the scenery is only interesting on one side. The train engine is turned at the top, so unless you have cooperative passengers who switch seat sides you will never see the scenery.

Also, if you are doing France's Finest then the bus ride from Paris to Lyon(or Lyon to Paris if traveling in the opposite direction) is even longer than the ride from Chalon-sur-Saône. The hospice was a fascinating site and its absence from the new itinerary is sad.

Portraits of Southern is showing on the UK website -- but you have to select 2016 itinery from the pull down as the default is 2015

For first day it says

Fly to Lyon. Transfer from the airport to your ship.* After boarding, take free time to explore this vibrant city, or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and get oriented. Head upriver along the Saône around dinnertime.

and it appears the return cruise is after dinner on Day two as for day 3 it says Wake up in Lyon this morning

Saône is where the 2015 boat starts from

The itinerary for Portraits of Southern France 2016 is not available on the US, Canada, or the Australia site for Viking, but I was able to see it as you indicated on the UK site. The France's Finest cruise is not described on the UK site, but is available for the other countries. The Portraits of Southern France 2016 was available on the drop down in the US when this thread was first started, but it is now gone.

Hello All,

I also noticed the cruise name had changed. We knew when we booked back in Jan. that the itinerary was not the same as years passed (or is it pasted?).

I would love to see Beaune someday. Guess it's not meant to be this time out.

We are booked on an April 2016 northbound cruise. I also see that river cruise rollcalls/forums are not as precise to a date as an ocean cruise would be.

Are any of you on a Viking Rhone river cruise coming up? Could this be our thread for sharing information?

Thanks, Allison

@Not Georgia Peach - very interesting. Is Frances Finest the same cruise or something different? (I can't get to any site except the UK site because it sees my IP address and I get automatically switched to UK)**

@Allison - as per my sig lines, I'll be doing it in July

**Later edit - I've found the itinery on the cruiseweb site here http://cruiseweb.com/vikingrivercruises/europe/france/. Two river cruises combined linked by a 215 mile coach ride from Paris toChalon-sur-Saône.

Hmm, pleasure of a river cruise for me is unpacking one at start and packing once at end, not doing it also in the middle. But I suppose if you're flying transatlantic or trans-hemisphere then doing both in one trip might be attractive

Good Morning,

Our US Viking site and brochures from the mail are now calling the cruise "Lyon & Provence".

We (two couples) hope to fly to Marseilles for a couple of days to shake off the jet lag.....before boarding in Avignon. This is our first river cruise. Our last ocean voyage was in 2011 which now feels like a lifetime ago.

Thanks for the info, RLE.

I got my weekly mailing from Viking yesterday which just featured France and the 2016 cruise hasn't changed its name.

Having two names for same cruise will be confusing for when they sell spare cabins to customers in another territory

Hi All,

Like I wrote last time. This is our first "river cruise". We've been on a handful of sea/ocean trips and numerous road trips through the US and Europe.

We pick our trips for the itinerary/ports of call. This cruise we are traveling with my in-laws, who have always wanted to visit France. Guess, they needed us to accompany them....which is fine.

We chose Viking because of the route and the fact that the our cabin will have a balcony. Why do you all travel with Viking?

Allison

"Our US Viking site and brochures from the mail are now calling the cruise 'Lyon & Provence'"

Hi, I'm Donna and the reason I joined this board is because I was interested in sailing "Portraits of Southern France" next year with another couple. I was very disappointed to see the new "Lyon & Provence" cruise because we really wanted to go to Beaune. I see that the only way now to get to Beaune and Hospice is to do the new trip "Paris, Burgundy & Provence". It's the new "Lyon & Provence" cruise with 2 nights in Paris and 2 nights in Dijon. Now we're considering "Châteaux, Rivers & Wine".

"Our US Viking site and brochures from the mail are now calling the cruise 'Lyon & Provence'"

 

Hi, I'm Donna and the reason I joined this board is because I was interested in sailing "Portraits of Southern France" next year with another couple. I was very disappointed to see the new "Lyon & Provence" cruise because we really wanted to go to Beaune. I see that the only way now to get to Beaune and Hospice is to do the new trip "Paris, Burgundy & Provence". It's the new "Lyon & Provence" cruise with 2 nights in Paris and 2 nights in Dijon. Now we're considering "Châteaux, Rivers & Wine".

I don't have the answer to this, but if you widen your horizon beyond Viking you might find another cruise line with an itinerary that suits you better. Since this is your first post on CC, you probably need to start your research close to square one -- which would be the sticky "New to RIVER CRUISING??? START HERE!!!" above.

Thanks 'Not a Georgia Peach' for your comments on the Ardeche Steam Train, that being the scenery is only interesting on one side. Could you elaborate on which side (facing forward, left or right?)

Why do you all travel with Viking?

We went because our friends wanted to do so and they chose the cruise and company.

We all loved it so we agreed to do another together, and we've done two on our own.

Loved Viking, offered everything we wanted and more. After one trip you're enrolled into their 'Explorers Club' so we now get extra discount on booking, no credit charge fees, invitation to members on board cocktail party* and they mail a free gift after tours...

* Last trip there were so many of us that had been on previous trips that I felt really sorry for the few on board who were excluded. Quite different to our first trip where the majority, including us, were outside.

The right hand side of the train heading up the hill. The seats in the train are "booth" style in that two wooden benches face each other. On the return trip the "best" side is on the left since the engine is turned and goes to the other end. The scenery on the "best" side is different up and down because of the viewing angle. If you have never been on a steam train this might be an interesting excursion, but the scenery is not that spectacular.

Morning,

Not a G. Peach - Thanks for the tip on the Ardeche Steam Train. We will be two couple and will make certain of our seat placement. We've been on the White Pass Train in Alaska = great scenery. Although, I noticed most folks slept on the return ride back to the cruise ship....Guess holidays can be exhausting. ;)

Keep the helpful hints coming!!!

Take care, Allison

You wouldn't be able to fall asleep on this steam train - hard wooden seats which are very "pew-like". An optional activity which was offered in Lyon was a tour of the market Halles de Paul Bocuse, this was done with the chef from the boat. The cost was 10 euros each, but there is very limited space so if you want to do it go to the desk immediately upon the announcement. The market is really an amazing place, and there was plenty of time to wonder around and shop if you want to. It also included a tasting of cheeses, salamis, and wine. The other optional tour we did was to Les Baux and St Rémy. Both locations were well worth seeing. Les Baux might be a challenge for someone who has walking difficulties. We had an excellent tour guide who described the scenery from the bus and her knowledge of the two locations was great.

Thanks for the Lyon info. My DH and I been to France a handful of times on road trips, but not to this Rhone region. This will be the first time for my in-laws. They all speak French so that is a big plus.

Is or did anyone opt for the airfare with the cruise. It sounds like a great deal but for us it might not work out. We are staying in Paris for five days aprés cruise. Also the cruise flights seemed rigid with dates, yet vague with seating, etc. So we're looking for next April and the prices are running approx. $1150 pp. :eek: Save a little....spend a little...it all comes out in the wash.

Allison

We did our air through Viking, but paid the extra for Custom Air. I had researched the flights I would prefer, and the flights were booked 6 months before the cruise. I then picked our seats from the airlines websites. It might present a problem due to your plan to arrive early.

When you use Viking Custom Air, do the tickets cost less than the airline website? Or do you get credit for the custom air surcharge against the ticket price? Or do you end up paying more for the convenience of booking through Viking?

Used Viking Air one time. It was a last minute booking. The benefit was they provided free transfers

Transfer may not be an issue when start or finish is near a major city, but they can expensive

Hi - My older Viking mailer, from when we booked in January, has their airfare at $747 and the later April one quotes $995. My TA told me there would be a $50 custom fare fee or $100 for different dates. We are northbound and the included transfer to and from Marseilles may not have added much value.

Those prices are based out of Boston. We live a few hours away, so we have to factor in the the gas/parking or the bus ticket. The $1150 isn't looking too bad now. Best part is we have a better handle on our flights/layovers/seats. Although it's not bad if you want to be taken care of from beginning to end of the cruise and Viking's pre/post land excursions. If it were an unfamiliar country, we would certainly stick with the cruise company.