Deb922

I was watching a YouTube. The couple hated the beds on Viking! They said they were the only drawback to their cruise. They had the attendant put 3 feather toppers but still had trouble sleeping. 
 

What do you think of the beds? Are they similar to the beds on the river cruises? Our first cruise, I thought the bed was very comfortable, the second not so much. I had the attendant put a blanket underneath and that helped. 
 

I know on a river cruise, the mattress is pretty thin so to accommodate luggage underneath. 
 

thanks 

Absolutely. There’s a chat option that you can access on my Viking journey dot com. Easy to make adjustments to your trip. 
 

be sure to add the day before your air flight is ticketed 

The only tables for 2 on a river cruise are on the aquavit terrace. On our last river cruise, people got there and camped out a long time before dinner service. I think there were 3 tables for 2. 
 

at lunch, there were more tables for 2 set up in the lounge area next to the aquavit terrace. We sat there once but someone we knew joined us. It was fine but we were hoping for peace and quiet. 
 

I hear if you go to the back of the dining room, you might have more luck finding some open space to dine. But I found that a river cruise is very communal. Which was fine but I was alway relieved when the cruise ended tbh. 

My husband and I have been on 2 Viking River cruises and we are now exploring an ocean cruise. 
 

one of the biggest attraction of ocean v river is the dining situation. It’s not that we were adverse to the communal dining atmosphere. It’s that we would have loved to have a choice. 
 

7 days felt like a lot to sit and converse with strangers. Lovely nice people but it was exhausting. 
 

I think on the rivers, there are exactly 3 tables in the aquavit terrace that are 2 tops. On our second river cruise, there were the same people who camped out night after night. 
 

I don’t blame them but I would have liked to have a chance to opt out of dinner conversations for a night. Or even lunch. On our first river cruise we had luck dining alone at lunch time but the second did not work out. 
 

Thinking that an ocean cruise would be a better fit. As we are happy meeting others and connecting but sometimes we just want to be alone. 
 

my husband’s hearing issues don’t help at all. 

@OneSixtyToOne thanks for the link! Now I want to read all of your trip reports! Loved everything about your trip and was excited to see that you did the extensions in Athens and Tuscany. 
 

@PasadenaDave we’ve flown from our small regional airport in Michigan and driven to Detroit. For international flights we much prefer to drive to Detroit. Can’t beat getting in around 3pm and being able to drive home. That last layover after an international flight is rough! 
 

Hoping by using a major airport that we won’t have to layover in an US airport. We didn’t when we flew with Viking before. Doesn’t mean it can’t happen, I’m aware. 
 

Thanks so much for the thoughtful replies. 

Made me think more about the pros of using Viking’s air. You hear so much about the cons and not as much the pros. 
 

I loved the idea of using the air as a stopover. We did Cities of Light river cruise last year and would love to spend more time in Paris. 
 

My husband and I would love to take the Tuscany extension that is offered on many of the ocean cruises that stop in Italy. It’s also an option to think about visiting Istanbul, which we have never been to. 
 

I’d really like to book this cruise after our daughter’s wedding this summer. Trying to figure out what options we want. 
 

thanks so much

We've done two Viking River Cruises so I’m familiar with Vikings idea of premium economy. Both of our river cruises I was able to book with air included, not an extra charge. I don’t think that will happen with the Mediterranean cruises and our timeline. 
 

I’ve been looking into an ocean cruise for late fall 2025. 
 

Venice to Athens, there are 2, one 10 day and one 8 days in duration. 
 

The price Viking is showing for air from Detroit is $1599 for economy and $1000 more for premium  economy. 
 

At what point would you think that the price offered is not a value and would book on your own? 
 

Especially seeing all the complaints about Viking Air and that I would definitely add air plus for an additional cost. 

Asking about dogs and grandchildren is always an option. 
 

I usually start out with where they are from, do they have children or dogs. My husband will get in a discussion about gardening. 
 

You usually figure out what someone’s political views are at some point. I ask for kindness and respect. Sometimes you don’t find that and we can move on. 

I’m pretty sure Nuremberg is on the itinerary on the Christmas on the Main and Moselle

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/christmas-main-moselle/2024-paris-prague/index.html#search/sfym=2024-12&sftcm=christmas-main-moselle

Having done the Rhine Getaway last year and Cities of Light (Paris to Prague) this year. Both not Christmas Market but both last cruise before the market cruises started. 
 

liked the Rhine better as far as less bussing. Felt  Paris to Prague was a lot of time on a bus. It was the itinerary. 
 

also the markets did not open until after advent started on the CoL cruise. On the Rhine we did see earlier opening markets. If you are thinking of earlier in the season, I would understand that the markets might be just opening or not open on Paris to Prague. Markets did not open in Prague until December 3. 
 

we did love Paris and we did love Prague though. Definitely worth spending time there. 
 

no experience on the Danube. 

On 12/23/2023 at 6:31 AM, Pushka said:

Not ocean but river cruise. Christmas on the Rhine. We missed five ports, had to ship swap (not uncommon) but that ship then did not move for three nights. Have heard nothing from Viking. It's been a week.  It was a known event before our cruise started. 

I would call Viking customer service. Explain your experience. I received an email from Viking maybe 2 weeks after we returned home. Similar situation 

I drank fever tree light tonic water. Only thing that was caffeine free and mostly 0 calories. 
 

they ran out before the end of the cruise. It was the only thing that I drank other than water. 
 

no caffeine free no sugar sprite or Diet Coke. Soda water is always available. 
 

I struggle anywhere finding caffeine free diet sodas. 

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures 

I’m leaving on this trip next week! 
 

Viking spells out on it’s website exactly which meals are available in the itinerary tabs. 
 

On the land portion, only breakfast is included unless there is an optional excursion and it will describe exactly what is included. Optional excursions cost extra. 
 

The drink package is only for the river cruise portion. 

Thanks for the great trip report. Leaving on our Cities of Light VRC in 9 days! Loved all the details.  

Questions 

How far is your home town from ORD? 
 

My personal opinion. 
 

if it’s less than 4 hours driving, at this last minute, I would drive. You can book a hotel near the airport if you feel it would be too late to drive. I feel that’s a better option than a possible lengthy layover to fly home from imo an airport that has frequent delays. 
 

Fly into ORD and you can drive home. Stay in a hotel and drive home the next day. I think it would be a minefield to change carriers and risk missing your connection on either side. 
 

Even if Viking air could change your flight, it’s going to cost. 
 

I'm assuming that the flight to Europe is a later in the day flight. I’m addressing the flights home because it’s the one that driving home after being awake so long is difficult for us. 
 

I booked my Viking river cruise on line. No agent or TA involved. Probably not my best decision but it’s certainly available 

Also ask if they have e-bikes. You will still have to pedal but it will assist with any hills

So there are no options to postpone this trip to a later time? But if the locks are still closed, you will receive 35% to put towards a different cruise?

sounds like they’ve had a lot of calls about this issue. 

Not sure it’s about more profit but likely about not losing money on accommodations. Lake Como hotels were likely too expensive for the price customers paid or no availability at those hotels that are in that price range. 
 

The hotel Gate 1 used in the past may have decided not to book with them as they could fill their hotel with customers paying them more. 
 

Plenty of reasons, all of them come down to money. 

Go birds 🦅 

😁

This was so informative and helpful! Thanks! 

So frustrating! So sorry you were subjected to this

I would sign up for air plus. Too many variables if you don’t. I was able to ask for the the flights I wanted and when the layover was too short, I was changed to an earlier flight with no issues. 
 

I flew Delta and they would not let me upgrade tickets issues by Viking. It was fine and we were fine in our economy seats. But I tried to upgrade after ticketed and it was a no go. I definitely tried, Delta would not allow it. 
 

This was last week. If others can upgrade Viking tickets with cash or points, then they have better luck than me. I did hear that maybe I could have asked at the gate but I didn’t try. Decided to stay in our economy seats. 

I have some information about this. Viking air plus is $100 per person, I think it’s worth that to call and request the flights you would like. 
 

My first flight had 4 segments! On the week of thanksgiving! I was able to call and get a nonstop flight. My flight there is nonstop to Amsterdam connecting to Basel, the time of the first flight kept changing until I had a 50 minute layover. I was able to call air plus and change to an earlier flight so to have a longer layover to make my connection to Basel. 
 

My flight was just ticketed. When I booked my trip, it was $799 to upgrade from the free flight to economy plus or whatever your airline calls it. I declined and thought I could upgrade through the airline, Delta in our case. 
 

Delta will not allow an upgrade to premium select on my ticket. Viking will not upgrade my ticket unless I wish to pay $3000 per person. 
 

So I’m out of luck and will enjoy my economy seats. 
 

I called both Delta and Viking. Tried to upgrade on line with Delta. No go on any of those avenues