What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise
Want to know what to expect on a Viking River cruise? While Viking is excellent at communicating about the destinations and most details, this post aims to cover the things they don’t tell you and what you most likely want to know before you start or book the trip.
When I travel, I like to know as much as possible before I leave; I rarely enjoy surprises. Viking River ships are mostly identical, with the same layouts and room configurations. Each day includes an excursion, and beer and wine are provided during lunch and dinner. Viking provides all this information upfront.
In this post, I am going to tell you a few things about what to expect on a Viking River cruise that will make your trip more enjoyable and stress free.
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What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise
My husband and I finally took our first river cruise in June 2024, on the Viking Grand European Tour, a 15-day trip. As experienced ocean cruisers, we wanted to try a river cruise. After seeing all of the promotional materials showcasing the experience of cruising into a town and spending the day exploring the streets and historic sites, we decided to make the investment.
We learned a lot from this experience and wanted to share with you what to truly expect on a Viking River cruise.
Prior to the Start of the Trip
We received a notification from Viking about the possible docking locations and a direct telephone number for the ship. Initially, we were scheduled to take the Modi, but due to high waters, it was switched to the Skirnir. Since Viking ships are identical, there was no need for concern when they switched ships. We still had the same room number and schedule.
Where’s My Ship?
Our cruise began in Amsterdam, and we were on our own getting to the ship, without a transfer or packaged hotel from Viking. To find the ship’s position, I searched for the Skirnir on CruiseMapper. By clicking on the current position button, I discovered that the Skirnir was just east of the Central Train Station. This information assured us that we could walk to the location with our luggage.
During the trip we met a couple from Australia, and they said they called the ship’s telephone number and were given a number (#2) for the ship’s location. They put it in Google Maps and ended up on the other side of the port. They had to take a taxi to the ship’s dock which cost them 30 euros (for a short distance) – they were not too happy!
So, the point is, track your ship. This will make your morning less stressful!
How to Board the Ship?
Coming from the USA with experience in ocean cruises, we were accustomed to the boarding procedures. In Amsterdam, however, boarding the ship was different: we simply walked down the gangplank with our luggage, entered the ship, and walked into a reception area like a hotel to check-in.
There were no security checks or paperwork; we just showed our passports and were promptly escorted to our room by a crew member, which was ready for us at noon.
They do take your luggage and deliver it to your stateroom shortly after your arrival. Viking sends luggage tags prior to the trip, with all your information already printed on them.
How’s the Stateroom?
For this trip, we booked a stateroom with a balcony. The room was compact (205 sq. ft.) yet offered ample storage space and outlets for electronics.
The bathroom, while tight, is functional. Viking provides toiletries such as Freyja Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Gel, and Body Lotion. A notable feature is the heated bathroom floor, which can be adjusted and is especially pleasant on colder days.
Additionally, there was a small bar of soap by the sink, which is convenient if you prefer it to body gel. The bathroom also had a tissue dispenser, and a small hairdryer was available in the closet. The stateroom featured four 110V outlets along with four European-style outlets.
Laundry Service
Viking does provide laundry service, if needed. Inside the closet, there is a laundry bag along with paperwork showing the cost for each item to be laundered.
We opted to hand wash a few items and use the drying line in the shower. For this trip, we just brought a carry-on bag and a personal item each. Want to learn how to pack like a pro? Check out our post on How to Pack for a Two-Week Trip: Travel Light with Just a Carry-On & Personal Item!
Weather Conditions
If you want to do a river cruise, please be aware of potential conditions which may impact your cruise. Weather conditions may affect high or low water levels. Depending on where you are cruising, the water levels will have an impact on your trip.
For our trip, the waters were high which meant that the crew had to take down the Sun Deck (railings and all). This allowed the ship to clear the low bridges along the Main and Danube Rivers. The Sun Deck was not accessible to us during this period.
If the weather is cold and/or rainy, besides your stateroom, the only open area is the Lounge. Unlike an ocean cruise ship, space is limited on a river cruise ship.
During our trip in June, the first week was chilly with some rain. The second week improved greatly with warmth and sunshine.
Things to Do on the Ship
While cruising to each location, what can you expect to do on a Viking River cruise? The central hub of the ship is the Lounge. Here you can meet people (only 190 guests on board), read a book, have a cocktail and listen to music.
There is a small library with board games and four chairs. Across from the library is the Internet station with two computers. On deck 2 across from the Reception Desk, is a small gift shop selling Viking apparel and gifts.
On the Sun Deck, there are ample chairs for enjoying panoramic views of the river. Guests can also find two putting greens and a shuffleboard area. A walking track is available, where 12 laps equal one mile. Our stateroom, equipped with a balcony, allowed us to relax and enjoy the scenery in our own private space.
During our trip, the Sun Deck was closed for six days due to high waters. To pass under the low bridges along the Main and Danube Rivers, the Sun Deck had to be disassembled temporarily. At the front of the ship, on the Sun Deck, a water bottle was placed: if it were knocked over while passing under a bridge, it would indicate a serious problem for the ship.
Internet – Wi-Fi
You can expect to have internet service while on a Viking River cruise. But it can be very slow and takes forever to download photos. We brought our own portable wi-fi, Ryoko Pro Portable Wi-Fi, which made our internet experience easier. Throughout Europe, we used the portable wi-fi and it was ideal especially when using Google Maps. The Ryoko Pro can be used in over 112 countries worldwide.
Where to Eat Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The main dining room serves each meal daily. In the dining room, there are only a few tables for two, so you often share meals with others, offering a pleasant opportunity to socialize.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are also served on the Aquavit Terrace, where you can dine outside on the front of the ship when the weather is nice. The Aquavit Terrace has a more casual atmosphere compared to the dining room.
According to Viking’s guidelines, jeans and shorts are not permitted in the dining room. However, during our trip, we observed several men wearing jeans and shorts each night.
If you are hungry or thirsty during the day, there are two Café Stations in front of the Lounge that serve coffee, tea, and hot chocolate along with pastries and muffins in the morning and cookies in the afternoon and the evening.
Unlike on an ocean cruise ship, the food options outside of regular dining hours are quite limited on a river cruise. Having previously traveled on a Viking Ocean Cruise Ship, we found the food quality and selection to be better on the ocean cruise ship.
To provide full transparency, we are vegetarians who eat fish with scales and enjoy pasta dishes. However, our choices were somewhat limited on the river cruise. Salmon was a daily feature on the menu, which my husband enjoys but I do not.
As a picky eater, I found myself relying on cheese and fruit plates for my main meal at times.
Due to our dietary restrictions (no meat or shellfish), we couldn’t fully explore the menu options. On the ocean cruise ship, the staff always found ways to accommodate our preferences.
Evening Entertainment
After dinner, evening entertainment typically takes place in the Lounge, where most nights feature a talented pianist (who was excellent). I had anticipated more local entertainers or historians, but this was rare.
Over our 15-day cruise, we enjoyed classical soloists from Cologne, a Bavarian folklore musical on the Danube, and a Viennese waltz show. Occasionally, there were also game nights such as Majority Rules.
In your stateroom, you’ll have access to a selection of TV shows (like Downton Abbey and The Vikings during our trip) and several movies.
Excursions – What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise
Before the cruise begins, you sign up for excursions offered by Viking. Each stop includes an excursion, with additional paid excursions available. We opted for all the included excursions during our trip. Onboard, you have the flexibility to make changes and add on excursions as desired.
Tickets and the Viking Daily
Each evening, you will find tickets in your stateroom for the next day’s excursions, including the excursion name, time, and meeting point, along with the Viking Daily. About 15 minutes prior to dinner, the Program Director will give a brief talk on the excursions for the next day in the Lounge. You can view the port talk on the TV in your stateroom too.
The Viking Daily outlines the day’s schedule and activities. When leaving the ship, remember to scan your room key to record your departure.
Depending on the weather, you may want to use one of the large red Viking umbrellas located near the doorways. If you don’t have a travel umbrella or prefer not to carry one, feel free to use the Viking-provided umbrella.
Please note that there are no announcements made for excursion departure times. It’s crucial to know when and where to meet your group, so be sure to read the Viking Daily for accurate information.
For those with limited mobility, there is usually a Leisure Tour available, offering an overview of the location. Many towns we visit have cobblestone streets, so be sure to bring sneakers or comfortable walking shoes.
Where Does our Ship Dock?
According to the Viking team, that is up to the harbormaster. Even though Viking has the most ships on the rivers, that does not give them the best docking berths. As was our case, during our trip, we were given the furthest docking berths from the towns.
One of the reasons we chose a river cruise was for easy access directly into towns. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always the case on our trip. For instance, in Cologne, our berth was about 1.2 miles from the cathedral. In Regensburg, our ship was docked at the ninth position, the farthest from the town center. We walked less than a mile along the Danube promenade to reach the historic town center.
While walking a long distance isn’t an issue for us, it was problematic for many other guests. Some even had to arrange taxi services to get into town.
Another point to consider is the practice of stacking, where ships dock next to each other. This can result in obstructed views from your balcony, as your view might be of another ship’s stateroom. In Vienna, our ship was docked between two others, so we had to go up to the Sun Deck to see the city.
Transportation at the Docks
Viking uses coach-style tour buses with comfortable seating, large windows, and a small restroom near the back door, though it was locked on all our trips.
According to German and Austrian law, passengers must wear seat belts on the bus, and the driver cannot idle the bus or run the air conditioner until it starts moving. So, if you board the bus early on a warm day, it can be quite uncomfortable inside.
Ports of Call
We will provide you with some information in this section regarding where the ship stops in relation to the city you are expecting to visit.
1st Stop – Kinderdijk, Holland
Our ship docked in an industrial area called Dordrecht in South Holland, and we were bused to Kinderdijk. The ride took about 45 minutes due to morning traffic. Upon arrival, we met our guide and walked through the park to view the 19 windmills.
The weather changed rapidly that day, becoming windy and cold, and we were all caught in a downpour. We couldn’t wait to get back to the bus and return to the ship to dry off. We should have taken the Viking big red umbrellas!
2nd Stop – Cologne, Germany
Our ship stopped in Monheim, where guests disembarked for a free walking tour of Cologne, Germany at around 8:30 a.m. They were met by tour buses for a 30-minute drive into the city, while the ship continued sailing along the Rhine to its docking position in Cologne.
On this day, we decided to stay on the ship to avoid sitting in morning traffic. I arranged a walking tour in Cologne that started at 2 p.m. Once the ship docked, we walked to the Cologne Cathedral, which took about 25 minutes (1.2 miles from the dock) to meet our tour.
The ship offered shuttle service from the dock to Cologne (Gereonstrasse) at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., and 5 p.m., with return service at 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. We opted to walk back to the ship, stopping along the way to try a Gaffel Kölsch beer and a Riesling.
3rd Stop – Marksburg Castle, Germany
Our ship stopped in Koblenz to drop off passengers for a bus ride to Marksburg Castle, which took about 30 minutes. From the parking lot, it’s an uphill climb (stairs or ramp) to the castle, making this excursion challenging for those with mobility issues.
After the tour, the bus took us back to our ship in Braubach, just 10 minutes from the castle.
We spent the afternoon cruising down the Rhine River, admiring vineyards and castles with narration provided by the program director.
At this point, we turned onto the Main River, navigating through canals and locks with low bridges. From the Main River to the Danube in Budapest, the ship passed through up to 65 locks. Due to high waters, we didn’t have access to the Sun Deck since the ship had to navigate the low bridges.
4th Stop – Miltenberg, Germany
The ship docked in a very small town called Freudenberg which did not have anything to do or see. From here, we boarded tour buses for a 15-minute ride into Miltenberg for our walking tour. The walking tour was informative, and the town was cute.
We had about 45 minutes on our own and took the opportunity to try the locally made Faust beer.
5th Stop – Wurzburg, Germany
Our ship docked in an industrial area, and we took a 15-minute tour bus ride into Wurzburg. We had an enjoyable tour of the Wurzburg Residence, and the historic town.
The tour buses met us on the other side of the Main Bridge in Wurzburg (Alte Mainbrucke) for our return ride to the ship.
6th Stop – Bamberg, Germany
The ship stopped in Zeil am Main to drop off passengers for excursions. It took 30 minutes on the tour bus to arrive in Bamberg. We had a walking tour of the town which was uphill and about two hours of free time. Since we were in the town on a Sunday, only bars and restaurants were open. So, no shopping for souvenirs on Sundays!
On the way back to the bus meeting spot, we tried the local beer, Rauchbier, which had a smoky flavor. The bus picked us up and took us to an industrial area to meet the ship.
7th Stop – Nuremberg, Germany
The ship docked in an industrial area, requiring passengers to take buses into town. We decided to skip the morning tour and stayed on the ship until the afternoon. The ship provided a free bus transfer to the historic center at 2 p.m., allowing us to explore the sights on our own. The bus ride took about 30 minutes.
We had around two and a half hours to explore the area and try a local beer called Tucher. The transfer bus then took us back to the ship, which had moved to the town of Roth.
8th Stop – Regensburg, Germany
In the morning, the ship dropped us off at Regensburg Lock for our walking tour. No buses today!!! The ship then moved to its berth on the Danube near the town center.
Please note that we did have the last berth which was a little less than a mile from the historic town. Walking the distance was not an issue for us but there were several guests who could not handle the long walk and required a taxi service.
We did stay in the town for most of the day which allowed us to enjoy the sights, shop and have a beer on our own.
9th Stop – Passau, Germany
We were very excited to hear that we were going to be very close to the town center in Passau and then realized we were docked at berth A14 which was the furthest from town. But the good news was that we could still walk around without having to take a tour bus.
During the morning, we did a walking tour of the old town and then attended an organ recital at noon in the St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It costs 5 euros per ticket and lasts 30 minutes. In the afternoon we walked to the point where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers converge.
10th Stop – Melk, Austria
We are now in Austria. The ship docked at the cruise port, and we took a bus to the Abbey, a 10-minute ride. After touring Melk Abbey, we walked down to the town of Melk for some shopping.
It was a 20-minute walk back to the ship from the town, but the ship provided shuttle bus service from the Abbey for those who preferred not to walk.
In the afternoon, we cruised along the Danube River through the Wachau Valley, with commentary from the Program Director. That evening, they finally opened the Sun Deck, allowing us to enjoy the scenic views and fresh air.
11th Stop – Krems, Austria
This was a surprise stop for us. There was a shuttle bus available to take passengers to the town of Krems from the port. The ship was docked across from the town of Stein an der Donau, which was nice for a walk but not much else to do.
12th Stop – Vienna, Austria
This was a very busy riverboat port, and we docked near the Reichsbrücke (bridge), stacked with two other Viking ships. Although technically in Vienna, the historic area was an hour’s walk from the port. Our tour bus took us into the center for a walking tour, with the option to return by bus or stay in town and take the U-Bahn (subway).
There was much to see in the city, so we chose the U-Bahn. The ship provided easy-to-follow instructions for navigating the system. Our stop was Vorgartenstrasse on the U1 (red line), about a 10-minute walk to and from the ship.
There was also a Big Bus pick-up stop near our docking location, offering a great alternative for those wanting to explore the city on their own.
Our ship stayed overnight in Vienna, giving us a second day to explore independently. The U-Bahn was very convenient, and we enjoyed lunch at Café Demel.
Of all the ports of call on this trip, Vienna was the most interesting, offering flexibility for personal exploration. Viking also offered several paid excursions during our two days in Vienna.
13th Stop – Budapest, Hungary
Our original docking position on the Pest side of the city was in a convenient location, with our ship stacked alongside another Viking ship. However, when we disembarked for our excursion, there were 14 steps to reach street level and meet our tour bus. One passenger, who used a walker, was informed that if they couldn’t manage the steps, they wouldn’t be able to join the tour. Unfortunately, there were no ramps to the street, making it challenging for those with mobility issues.
Our bus tour included a drive through the Pest side of the city. It was challenging to take photos from the bus window and our guide was hard to understand due to her heavy accent and speaking too close to the microphone.
The bus took us to the Buda side of the city, and we were able to walk through the Castle District to see the St. Matthias Church and incredible views of the city from Fishermen’s Bastion.
The tour bus returned us to the ship, allowing us to explore the city on our own. From our docking position, we could easily walk around the Pest side of the city. This is what we were expecting on a Viking River cruise. To see more of the Buda side, we needed to walk across the Chain Bridge.
During the afternoon, we arranged our own tour of the Jewish History and Heritage Walking Tour of Budapest , which was fantastic. It was a 3-hour tour and we learned more than we could comprehend from our guide Agi.
Later in the evening, the ship moved further up the river, closer to the Parliament Building. When we disembarked in the early morning, there were no stairs to contend with, making it much easier for those with mobility issues.
Disembarkation – What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise
Two days before disembarking the ship, the Program Director held a meeting with the passengers to explain the process. Those heading to the airport were given early disembarkation time slots based on their flight schedules.
Color-coded luggage tags were provided, along with instructions on when to place luggage in the hallway for pick-up. As we had carry-on luggage, we kept our bags with us and carried them off the ship in the morning. Breakfast was available to us in the main Dining Room and the Aquavit Terrace.
The transfer bus to the airport arrived on time and dropped us off in front of the terminal. A Viking Representative met us there and guided us to the correct counters in the airport. The disembarkation process was smooth and efficient.
Final Thoughts: What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise
I hope this article helps you understand what to expect on a Viking River cruise. What you anticipate and what actually happens can sometimes differ. My biggest issue was that we rarely docked directly in town centers. I expected to easily walk off the ship into charming towns and explore the area, as depicted in the marketing materials. Instead, we were often bused to our destinations. The main appeal of a river cruise, for me, was the promise of direct access to locations, unlike large ocean cruises.
This was our first river cruise experience, and I’m not sure if I would take another one. However, I very much enjoyed the Viking Ocean cruise and would consider taking another ocean cruise with them. Cruising is a personal experience, and not everyone enjoys the same aspects.
I hope this article helps you understand what to expect on a river cruise. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Also, please refer to our Travel Planning services if you would like assistance in planning a trip.
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