Palladin53

In early July, a friend and I took a Viking Cities of Light Cruise from Prague to Paris.

Our very expensive trip proved to a huge disappointment. The service crew was stellar - God bless them every one. But the crew not-so-much and the ship had a lot of avoidable issues.. There were a number of problems that were never addressed - some that began on Day One!

<b>Mooring locations – gorgeous sunsets behind freight trains and derricks</b>
o On our final night, we docked in a dismal industrial basin with a view of rusting railroad cars, cranes, shipping containers and a grain elevator. Not what I expected nor what I feel that I paid for.
o On at least two occasions, our ship was rafted with another Viking ship. Our expensive balcony was just inches away from a cabin on the neighboring ship. There was no view possible, and for privacy we had to draw closed the heavy drapes making our cabin as dark as a cave. Once this was remedied within a few hours (a few too many), but on another night we had no view and no daylight from before sunset to after sunrise. The blocker was another Viking ship, so I feel strongly that Viking should have planned to avoid this.
o The boat rarely stayed in any location long enough for evening strolls through the towns. Often we were too far away from the towns anyway!

<b>Air conditioning (or lack thereof)</b>
o The thermostat in our cabin was programmed such that we simply could not get adequate cooling. When we reported this on the first day, we were told “we’re working on it.” But from start to end it was never repaired.

<b>No internet access</b>
o Access wasn't just spotty -it hardly existed at all. Nowhere on the ship was the wireless signal any better than 50% and most often it was a single bar that incessantly failed.
o I purchased my own router in Nuremburg and installed it in our cabin. This gave me a good feed into the wired network on the ship but the ship’s satellite link never worked at all well. It appeared that antennae at the rear of the ship could have been raised for a better signal, but to the best of my knowledge they never were.
o Another passenger also bought a router but the wired feed to his cabin failed altogether after two or three days.

<b>Buses, buses, buses</b>
o We spent far too much time riding in tour buses. Not just at the start and end of the cruise, which was expected, but there was constant bussing from poorly-situated moorings. The hope of taking an evening stroll through some quaint ‘old town’ was seldom realized.

<b>Hold that soap!</b>
o One afternoon - after a hot sweaty day on a tour bus! - I stood covered with soap in the shower for just under 10 minutes while the ship was docking. One expects that some interruptions might occur when switching between on-board and shore-delivered services, but one also expects to be forewarned.

<b>Food </b>
o The food was OK, but the ship’s “banquet style” service let us down. Hot food was often tepid on arrival, and beef dishes were over-cooked.

<b>The Sun Deck might well not have existed</b>
o The sun deck was closed for about ¾’s of the trip with no explanation until we asked. Stairways were blocked with a chain labeled “closed temporarily” but really it was more like “open” was the temporary condition.

<b>Different walks for different folks. </b>
o On two of the walking tours, “leisurely” walkers (elderly and handicapped) were mixed in with the fitter folk. This didn’t work well for anybody: the infirm felt rushed and the others were frustrated by the snail’s pace of travel.
On balance, I do not feel that I got fair value. There were so many easily-avoidable issues that it is difficult to believe that Viking gives a hoot.

I conducted an un-scientific survey of fellow passengers. Many shared my concerns but few were ready to publicly admit that they’d spent so much money for so little value. It seems that well-heeled people are reluctant to admit to their friends that their expensive vacation didn't work out all that well. The will skew the ratings so don 't get taken in.

I sent these complaints to Viking immediately upon our return to the States. I was assured that someone from customer dis-service would contact me to discuss my concerns, but of course they never have done. So much for Viking's customer service... I'd have given them only a 'poor' rating but ignoring me earns them a "terrible".

I strongly recommend against taking a river cruise with Viking.

Sassafrass

There are more and more reviews similar to this about some of the river cruise, plus so many end up becoming bus tours because of water levels that are too low or flooding. I think the river cruise companies have spent a lot of money on ships, etc. and they are trying to hang on regardless of conditions.

jacketwatch

Well no river cruises for us. The possibility alone of being bussed rules it out.

Thanks for your review and so sorry to hear of a ruined vacation and a waste of money.

eliztravels2

Welcome to Fodor’s and thanks for expressing your concerns in a reasoned way, Palladin53. We get many first time posters here who join, leave a long rant about their hurts and disappointments, and never return. Your report is written with restraint which gives you credibility and a more sympathetic audience.

While I can certainly understand your frustration with not getting the trip you thought you’d paid for, I suggest you stick around Fodors and use it to research and learn before you book your next trip. I have never been on a cruise but I am considering a river cruise with my ship-loving hubby I have read enough to be well aware of the many frustrations you experienced. (blocked views, inadequate internet, moorings a long distance to ports, etc.) So if we ever do go, my expectations will be somewhat different than the fantasy trip the tour companies portray in their advertising.

I’m not sure that some of the problems you experienced were “easily avoidable”, such as adjacent moorings at inconvenient locations, or large tour groups with travellers of various walking abilities. (Often it makes more sense and is cheaper to book your own tours). Food, AC, and post trip customer service of course could be improved.

jacketwatch refers to your experience as a ’ruined vacation” but I hope this is not an accurate description. With any travel there will be things that do not go as planned (just like life at home.) IMHO one's ability to rise above this, be flexible, and enjoy what the experience has to offer is what makes for a true traveller, not a tourist.

vincenzo32951

Thanks for the report.

jacketwatch

Elizabeth I do agree about the OP restraint and thus his credibility. However his experience certainly seems like a mess or whatever you want to call it. We go away to have fun and enjoy a trip and when this becomes a test of endurance you have a right to be upset. He sounds like a traveller to me as opposed to those who post a rant and never return. JM2C.

scdreamer

We were on a land-based trip in Prague and Budapest in May, and saw the Viking riverboats docked right next to each other - it looked pretty miserable. We were very happy not to be on one of these cruises!

Janeyre

Our reports came out at the same time with similar experiences. I, too, was disappointed with most of the mooring locations. I had hoped they would all be central to the city and we would be there for the entire evening so we could extend our day in these great cities.

bettyk

I must say that we took a Danube River Cruise with Gate 1 Travel and had none of the issues you experienced. We spent 3 days pre-cruise in Prague and 2 nights post-cruise in Budapest. While our ship probably wasn't as luxurious as the one you were on, we had good food, good service and no blocked views.

doug_stallings

I was on this exact Viking itinerary last year (I did a Christmas Markets cruise), and I agree that the Nuremberg mooring location in particular is very far from the city. But that was the only place where I felt that I couldn't just walk places on my own. I did a walking tour in Vienna and walked to the subway in about 10 minutes (that was the longest walk).

The location in Budapest in particular (at the foot of the Chain Bridge), was magnificent. And the only place where I ever woke up to find myself next to another ship was in Vienna. But I have to say this does happen, and it's just something you have to deal with on a river cruise. Companies own a limited number of mooring positions, and the number of ships has grown so much in the past few years that there just aren't enough slots to accommodate them. Amsterdam is another really busy port where a lot of ships dock next to each other.

But that never really has much effect on whether or not I enjoy a cruise. I had to walk through 3 ships once in Egypt.

I also experienced some lock issues, and on a few instances we had to board buses to go to the next stop or to join up with our ship, but Viking always managed to get us where we needed to be on schedule, so I wasn't really inconvenienced that much. We were bused a bit more in both Nuremberg and Vienna than anywhere else, but I certainly didn't feel trapped in Vienna since we were pretty close to the subway and perhaps 10 minutes more to St. Stephen's and the heart of Vienna.

ATRAST

I feel compelled to respond to the complaints of this traveler since my husband and I just returned from a fabulous 15-day Grand European cruise on Viking. First of all, this traveler obviously didn't read all the information on the Viking site or they would have known about almost all of the things they mentioned. As for not being right in the heart of the towns along the way, I guess the town planners should have done a better job of putting their towns on the river so that tourists could have better access. We were fully aware that not ALL stops would be right on the river--all info on the site. Walking tours were conducted for all levels of fitness and those needing a slower pace were given the option of an alternate route--rarely did anyone take advantage of that. Levels of fitness for each of the tours was given in all of the Viking info at the beginning so this should be no surprise.

As for wifi availability, while it may be annoying to not have immediate access, the reason for taking the cruise is for enjoyment and not attached to a computer. If you need access, you have the option of choosing a phone system that will meet your needs while traveling. Viking states that access will be spotty. It would be nice to have better access but we were there for fun and not be tethered to a computer.

Mooring access: In the Viking literature they specifically state that they may have to dock along side another ship. This happened a few times and while it would be nicer to not have to do that, we don't spend much time in our cabins and prefer to be in the lounges with other people or on the sundeck. The sundeck MUST be closed when going under bridges if the water is too high. They're also not going to open and close it at every opportunity as the process takes a total of 6 hours.

Not one of the people we talked to on the ship (and we talked to a LOT of folks) had much of any complaints. It was unfortunate that a part of the Danube was so low that the ship could not get through the Passau to Nuremburg portion and we had to change ships. This is not the fault of Viking but they made the switch to a sister ship extremely easy. Fortunately, Viking is the ONLY line to have the ability to switch ships at this point; otherwise the rest of the cruise would have been by bus. The river being low was not the fault of Viking and they state in their literature that alternate forms of transportation may be required if water levels are not proper. Too much water can result in the same problems as not enough water.

We had a fabulous time and made many friends with whom we hope to travel with again in the future. It was one of the best trips we have ever made and will remember it fondly. Some people just aren't satisfied with anything and there's no pleasing them. If you are that kind of person, then I feel sorry for you. If you approach life in a positive way, then you will always be happy with what you have. We had wonderful service from the crew and service personnel and especially the wait staff on the Skadi as they kept us laughing much of the time. Food is a personal thing and if you want food like you have at home, then maybe you should think about that. I for one enjoyed the regional favorites and the wide variety of options given at all meals. My only problem is the 6 pounds I gained on the trip! Obviously I had no problems with the food. The quality of the food was high with fresh fruit every day and about anything at all you could ask for at breakfast. Endless wine and other drinks at all meals at no extra charge.

My advice to those considering the Danube/Main/Rhine river cruise: Choose ONLY Viking as they will take care of anything that comes up. Check on water levels yourself to determine whether or not you want to take a chance on the river. I would not hesitate to recommend and travel Viking again! In fact, we are presently looking for another Viking cruise and we have only been home 3 days!

Sheron

I feel that Viking has been deceptive, evasive, and non responsive. I had booked a river cruise on the Elbe. I first got an email saying it was unlikely that we would sail when I was in Amsterdam, enroute to the pre-cruise - with all arrangements made through Viking. The Viking staff in Krakow and then Prague said they knew nothing about the ship not sailing. I started trying to contact Customer Service as soon as we boarded the Astrilde and were told it would not sail. I finished writing and sent the first email July 6. They said they would answer within seven days. I could not believe such poor response; I figured they wanted to wait until after the trip, although they did not respond even after the seven days. I got no response to my second email July 9. So I was trapped in a trip I did not want to be on.

I would have cancelled if I had been told before I left that the river cruise would not happen. I had purchased the insurance that would have allowed me to cancel for any reason. Viking knew well in advance that the river was too low to fill in time for us to sail. I had no interest in a bus tour. It is physically difficult to sit on a bus with my feet down and limited chance to move around. What was supposed to be the first day of the cruise, we were required to walk around in 100 degree heat (in a closed town or concentration camp)until the shop was ready.

I have had no response to my emails. I have spoken numerous times to Customer Service, but they do not call me back when they say they will. Substituting a bus trip with meals and sleeping on two ships is not an acceptable "adjustment to the itinerary" for a river cruise. Viking offered a $1,000 credit for a future Viking cruise, but this is worthless to me because I would never use it because I do not trust them.