milling73

Yes Ive been reading water level sites etc. but best info comes first hand from passengers. As noted, CS centers have no clue as to sailing conditions. We fly Monday for Prague extension, if Luthansa manages to find plane / crew. So far that is hit/miss. In checking our reservations daily, finding schedule changes / cancellations with no notification. Thanks for heads up Luthansa!! Heat, fires, now drought…Seriously the Travel industry and Travelers could All use a break!

Would anyone currently sailing Viking on Danube or Rhine give an update as to their location status! Are you sailing? swapping boats? Going by bus? Thanks for assist!

Life everyone else, I have thoroughly enjoyed your blog. Thank you for the effort and time it must have taken! We take this trip in 8 days, from the opposite direction, with the 3 day Prague extension added to the start. We are flying Lufthansa from Orlando International to Frankfurt, for a connecting flight onto Prague. Checking today on Lufthansa's website, I see that our scheduled connecting flight to Prague has been cancelled, and we are now on a flight 5 hours later. Thanks for the heads-up notification on the flight change, Lufthansa!!! (Not...no email, no text, not even a red flag of the change when logged into their website and viewing our flight itinerary.) Viking was not aware either for the airport / hotel transfer. This doesn't exactly inspire confidence that all will go well with that later flight to Prague, as in looking back at the new flight history - it has also been cancelled 3 times in the last 7 days. I have already checked out train connections from Frankfurt to Prague, or alternative airlines. There are stories of flight delays, flight cancellations, lost luggage all over travel sites right now. Lack of staffing, strikes, equipment failures, etc.. After 2 years of pretty much travel lock-down...the travel industry just wasn't prepared for the mass of travelers hitting them as soon as the gates opened. Travelers: As the saying goes "Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst"

I sympathize with your vaccination issues, and I sort of agree that when you booked the cruise originally, none of these COVID rules were in effect, and the "medical inoculations" clause is at best a vague catch-all. COVID rules are relaxing, and many countries are not asking for vaccine records. However, every cruise line is at this time, requiring proof of vaccinations. As I see it, you have the option of: 1) rolling your trip another year and see if the vaccine requirement is dropped; 2) takes the 50% refund, or 3) try to change the name on your package and sell it to someone else. (I am not 100% sure Viking allows this, but I think they do allow the reservation to be transferred to another party - probably for a fee) If you trip is fully paid, and I am assuming it is, because Viking requires that soon after the booking, I would probably suggest rolling it until mid-late 2023. Once on board, you don't have to book optional tours or really buy anything. Except for tips to the crew, their cruises are pretty much all-inclusive. You don't have to spend much more to go, especially if you included air in your package. Hope you get it resolved. Viking really is a wonderful company to travel with. .

Taking it in 4 wereks. Itinerary says L’Hotel du Collectionaire.

Can u give info of Viking laundry prices? We take this trip in 10 days and are reading horror stories of checked luggage not making Frankfurt Germany transfers, and their tracking tag system not working. An Considering options of making carry-on suffice and using Viking laundry service. But we cant find pricing information or if it is even offered now. Luggage Forward service is $350 bag Thanks for assist. Your blog is wonderful.

We have taken several Viking river cruises in Europe and China. Most of your questions can be answered on cruise line websites, or reading this site more thoroughly, but here is what we can tell you briefly about Viking River Cruises: First off, if you are an ocean cruiser seeking all day activities on board, dancing, and unlimited dining choices, this is not for you. There are no casinos, no children, no pool, no all day dining, no bar playing the latest /loudest hits. What a river cruise does offer is genuine sightseeing. Civilization rose along rivers in Europe, and unlike an ocean cruise, there are always upclose scenic views when sailing. On average enough time is allowed at each port to do their included tour, and/or one of your own. And it takes just a minute to walk on/off. Age - Honestly I would not even include Passenger Age in my “should I take a river cruise?” consideration. It is hardly a nursing home setting. Most passengers will be well-traveled, mature, congenial, and very interesting to talk to. The cruise lines are offering more physical options in their itinerary stops, such as biking / hiking to appeal to the younger and more active. And you free to join any of their itineraries or go off on your own.

Short answer…yes. No more daily testing on Europe river cruises. Masks not required by passengers. Negative COVID test not required to board boat.