Question about meals

We are about to head out on our first Viking river cruise. We have cruised many times but never a river cruise. I have a somewhat strange question. We normally eat very simple food and that is not what we will be seeing on our upcoming cruise. That being said, we are adventurous and look forward to trying new things. On our previous ocean cruises if we ordered a meal we did not like we could order something else. Can you do that on a Viking river cruise?

The wait staff will cater to your needs. They bend over backwards to accommodate you. I've been at tables where when someone looks less then enthusiastic about their meal the wait staff will asked if they would like something else. I'm a pretty basic eater and I've never had a problem with the food. "Always available" on the dinner menu are Caesar salad, roast chicken, salmon, or rib eye steak. Can't make up your mind on desert? Ask for both.

Thank you

Breakfast and lunch are buffet where you get to look and get exactly what you want. Perhaps s few cooked to order items also. I’ve often taken small servings of anything that looks interesting and after this tasting plate returned for more. And at dinner they will gladly bring you something else.

 

Okay, about “exactly what you want” I was on Viking on the Elbe and got my usual perfectly cooked omelet. I then asked for ketchup and was told that that omelet was perfect and didn’t need ketchup :eek: I never did figure out if it was a joke but not being that set in my ways I just ate it and enjoyed. I especially remembered this this past summer ordering an omelet at a sidewalk cafe in Nice France and a bottle of ketchup appeared without asking. I ask if everyone got ketchup and the waiter smiled and said “no, just Americans” and then he asked if I wanted hot sauce and brought an extra large bottle of genuine Tabasco. A friendly “Bon Jour” works wonders in France.

Also, if the menu for dinner in the dining room isn’t to your liking, you may also dine on the Aquavit Terrace. Once you board ask to see an Aquavit Terrace dinner menu to familiarize yourself with the offerings and possibly use that option as an alternative when needed. Additionally, on some cruises, optional dining experiences in port (at a cost) are offered.

I will be on the Avalon Illumination May 25-june1. I have noticed a mention of an evening late night snack, Just curious as to what might be offered. Anyone taken advantage of it?

I will be on the Avalon Illumination May 25-june1. I have noticed a mention of an evening late night snack, Just curious as to what might be offered. Anyone taken advantage of it?

 

 

 

We never ate after dinner because we were always full but they offer sandwiches in the lounge around 10:00 pm.

 

 

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I will be on the Avalon Illumination May 25-june1. I have noticed a mention of an evening late night snack, Just curious as to what might be offered. Anyone taken advantage of it?

We never ate after dinner because we were always full but they offer sandwiches in the lounge around 10:00 pm.

River Boats breakfast starts about 7am and it is common for tours to leave about 8:30, so for most people 10pm is "late night":).Lots of people walk out of dinner with a glass of wine, and I don't think there would be any problem taking your own snack of desert, crackers & cheese,etc for later in your room, but there will be lots more food tomorrow. ENJOY

Avalon has cookies in the aft lounge (where the coffee machine is) Pastries in the morning, cookies in the afternoon & evening....

We are about to head out on our first Viking river cruise. We normally eat very simple food and that is not what we will be seeing on our upcoming cruise. That being said, we are adventurous and look forward to trying new things. On our previous ocean cruises if we ordered a meal we did not like we could order something else. Can you do that on a Viking river cruise?

 

I am an unadventurous eater but narly always found a choice on the menu that I liked. nd if you don't there are always the 4 backup dises, chicken, saamon, caesar salad and rib-eye. I like rib-eye and chips but last trip I ordered only once and then beacause I wanted it more than the perfectly acceptible dishes on the daily menu.

 

If you order a meal and it turns up not what you wanted, wait staff will happily bring your choice of something else.

 

Menus are designed to suit customers, with an American bias.

 

At lunch where there is a choice of waiter service in main restaurant or self serve buffet in Aquavit lounge we compare what's on offer before choosing where to dine.

 

Lunch and dinner menus are posted outside the restaurant some hours before each meal.

 

I think the only problem you'll have is the way the cruise has a knack of shrinking clothes :)

 

re Tomato ketchup, they carry individual pots of Heinz ketchup, Dijon mustard and Tabasco.

 

No hot condiments though, so I take own Colmans English Mustard.

I am wondering if any river cruises offer alternative to main dining room at dinner? I had thought that the Aquavit Terrace was breakfast and lunch only.

 

My friend is over 80 and a 7 pm meal is a bit late for her. She is also vegetarian and wonder if a certain line may offer more vegetarian selection.

 

Thank you for your input. We are planning our first river cruise and want to select the best Seine cruise for our needs.

Acquavit lounge only offered alternatives at breakfast and lunch on our cruises in past.

 

There was always vegetarian options at every meal. One dish was so good, thought we are not vegetarians, we have recreated it at home and frequently enjoy it.

I am wondering if any river cruises offer alternative to main dining room at dinner? I had thought that the Aquavit Terrace was breakfast and lunch only.

 

My friend is over 80 and a 7 pm meal is a bit late for her. She is also vegetarian and wonder if a certain line may offer more vegetarian selection.

 

Thank you for your input. We are planning our first river cruise and want to select the best Seine cruise for our needs.

 

 

 

Why is 7:00 too late for your over 80 friend?

If she’s afraid she’ll be too hungry by 7:00, Avalon offers Tea Time daily at 4:00. Besides cake, tea sandwiches are also offered.

 

 

 

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I am wondering if any river cruises offer alternative to main dining room at dinner? I had thought that the Aquavit Terrace was breakfast and lunch only.

 

If you are still browsing for a river cruise line, then yes, there are ships that have more than the main dining room for dinner options. I believe Crystal has a bistro. AMA has the chefs table and tapas in the lounge between meals. I believe Uniworld also has a bistro option?

If you are still browsing for a river cruise line, then yes, there are ships that have more than the main dining room for dinner options. I believe Crystal has a bistro. AMA has the chefs table and tapas in the lounge between meals. I believe Uniworld also has a bistro option?

The chef's table on AMA is not an option for a daily dinner. It is a tasting menu that you are allowed to book once on your trip and has a more rigid start time than than the main dining room since each course is served to everyone at the same time.

 

For the OP, these are small ships. Dinner directly follows the daily briefing, and there really isn't any opportunity to eat earlier. As has been pointed out, there is food available in the late afternoon, but you likely won't find an early dinner available.

The chef's table on AMA is not an option for a daily dinner. It is a tasting menu that you are allowed to book once on your trip and has a more rigid start time than than the main dining room since each course is served to everyone at the same time..

THank you for clarifying that - Avalon has the same thing which is why I didn't post about it.

 

But I *know* I've read here that there are ships that have alternate dinner options. Without going back and re-reading all the reviews, surely there are past guests who can mention if their ship had this option (because it might not be system wide- some ships are larger and have more/different amenities than others on the same line....) It's not commonplace in river cruising, but it's out there, and if that's important for a potential guest, then it's worthwhile to look for it....

If there is anything it will show up in the ship's amenities, I would assume.

 

The AmaMagna will have alternate dining when it debuts in 2019 and I think Crystal Mozart does too; those are both extra wide ships. There may be a few others that fit a small area in. But I wouldn't assume that you can dine at 6 pm because it will conflict with the daily briefing. You need to confirm that separately unless the venue specifies all-day dining or gives you its hours.

 

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I am wondering if any river cruises offer alternative to main dining room at dinner? I had thought that the Aquavit Terrace was breakfast and lunch only.

 

My friend is over 80 and a 7 pm meal is a bit late for her. She is also vegetarian and wonder if a certain line may offer more vegetarian selection.

 

Thank you for your input. We are planning our first river cruise and want to select the best Seine cruise for our needs.

Vantage offers a casual dinner buffet in addition to the main dining room on their Seine river boat. BUT hours are the same. Vantage sails from Paris to Honfleur to Le Havre and back while some lines have considerably shorter runs. Be sure to check ports visited as there are lots of variables on the Seine. Vantage does not use Travel Agents and sells only directly to customers.

 

Thom

As I look through my Viking Cruise documents, it says on the Longships, they offer a "bar-style menu on the Aquavit Terrace several nights a cruise with open seating." So I guess it isn't offered every night of the cruise, but you have the option sometimes...

Vantage offers a casual dinner buffet in addition to the main dining room on their Seine river boat. BUT hours are the same. Vantage sails from Paris to Honfleur to Le Havre and back while some lines have considerably shorter runs. Be sure to check ports visited as there are lots of variables on the Seine. Vantage does not use Travel Agents and sells only directly to customers.

 

Thom

 

If this is important to cruisers, double check with Vantage. The casual buffet was advertised when we booked our Rhone cruise. However when we boarded, November '16, we discovered that the meal service was discontinued.

Acquavit lounge only offered alternatives at breakfast and lunch on our cruises in past.

 

There was always vegetarian options at every meal. One dish was so good, thought we are not vegetarians, we have recreated it at home and frequently enjoy it.

 

Since when? We’ve always been able to dine in the evening at The Aquavit Terrace with a limited menu on the new long ships. Has this been changed?

I will be on the Avalon Illumination May 25-june1. I have noticed a mention of an evening late night snack, Just curious as to what might be offered. Anyone taken advantage of it?

Just to clarify, I have one of those itty bitty stomachs due to surgery so I can never eat very much at one sitting. I usually find myself hungry around 10-11pm so just wondered what options I might have. Sounds like I really have nothing to be concerned with on that front!:D

Since when? We’ve always been able to dine in the evening at The Aquavit Terrace with a limited menu on the new long ships. Has this been changed?

 

You're correct, and I'm wrong.

 

I've looked at the daily info sheets for my last trip in 2016 and they say at 7pm a Smorgasbord is served in the Acquavit lounge.

 

We mostly had both breakfast and lunch in the lounge but never went there for dinner. Must have a look upstairs next month

I've looked at the daily info sheets for my last trip in 2016 and they say at 7pm a Smorgasbord is served in the Acquavit lounge.

But again, I note that it is at 7 pm. The OP was looking for an earlier dinner.

But again, I note that it is at 7 pm. The OP was looking for an earlier dinner.

OP asked about plain cooking on Viking and didn't mention dining times. The subsequent hijacking of the thread by people discussing lines other than Viking introduced the topic of different dining times.