We have traveled on six Grand Circle river cruises and are quite happy with them. The problem is that we have covered all of the rivers we want with them and Viking has a trip or two we have not done
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Cat:Tips Tools and DealsForum:0EE709C0
Cat:Tips Tools and DealsForum:0EE709C0Discussion:52413283-668d-48eb-a85f-fd0fe1053449
We have traveled on six Grand Circle river cruises and are quite happy with them. The problem is that we have covered all of the rivers we want with them and Viking has a trip or two we have not done. They advertise two for one cruises. Is this a true deal? Also, are the passengers all Americans? How do they compare with Grand Circle? Thanks for your help.
Also, we are not used to being able to deal with a Travel Agent as Grand Circle does not use them. How do you get a good deal with a Travel Agent?
I have done river cruising with a number of companies: Viking, Vantage, and Uniworld. Out of these, I would rate Viking the lowest. The ship was tired with worn upholstery, and the cabin layout and design was awful. Even though it was the same size as other lines I had used before, the design of storage caused my traveling companion and me to always be in each other's way.
Most important, the crew lacked the training and professionalism present on other cruise lines. While they were enthusiastic and eager to please, the knowledge that comes with experience just wasn't there. We were sailing in Holland, and the Cruise Director didn't speak Dutch--a major drawback. The oldest person aboard ship was 24 years old--I felt like I was at summer camp and the campers were in charge. We frequently got incorrect information due to lack of knowledge.
I echo the previous poster who encouraged you to look at Vantage. They are the best out there. The ships are fabulous: well designed, comfortable, and constantly updated. The crew couldn't be better. Every request or inquiry was promptly and accurately attended to. They are exceptionally thoughtful and most importantly, well-trained. No Program Manager can work in a country whose language he/she doesn't speak. I know the company has recently updated its itineraries and is continuously trying to add new destinations.
Uniworld is also a good choice. While they are not as deluxe as Vantage, they are a quality provider and have some destinations not covered by others. www.uniworld.com
Negative about Vantage--A few weeks ago my still vigorous 90 year old relative and her son and his wife left for their two back-to-back river cruises totaling three weeks travel time. One plus weeks into the trip, the ship hit bottom and had to be abandoned. The replacement ship was not large enough to hold all the passengers, so all people in single cabins were bumped, including my 90 year old relative. The three of them were flown home with credit for another trip plus a small amount of cash. This was my relative's "last hurrah", and she will never be able to use the credit. I doubt if her kids will either. While the Vantage ship had an accident that had to be dealt with, I am really unhappy that they would not be more sensitive about who to bump. A 90 year old? Shame on them; I will avoid that travel company.
We used Viking in France. Be warned to book the highest level cabin. We did not and suffered for it...a pull down bed and sofa type bed. My husband is 6'4"! We could hear EVERYTHING in the next cabin. Crew was wonderful, trips off the boat were everything we could have wanted and the food was excellent. Something to consider is that passengers line up for dinner way in advance in order to take control of the best tables for their party. We disliked this aspect and will probably not travel on a riverboat in the future because of it. Perhaps not the fault of the cruise line but certainly there MUST be something to eliminate this feature of riverboating.
We used Viking in France. Be warned to book the highest level cabin. We did not and suffered for it...a pull down bed and sofa type bed. My husband is 6'4"! We could hear EVERYTHING in the next cabin. Crew was wonderful, trips off the boat were everything we could have wanted and the food was excellent. Something to consider is that passengers line up for dinner way in advance in order to take control of the best tables for their party. We disliked this aspect and will probably not travel on a riverboat in the future because of it. Perhaps not the fault of the cruise line but certainly there MUST be something to eliminate this feature of riverboating.
Yes a major drawback to dining. Also it creates a tension that must be dealt with every day. Have used both Gr. Circle and Vantage - both owned by brothers in Boston. Nice part about riverboats is gettng off ship at night and going to explore towns.
I have done river cruising with a number of companies: Viking, Vantage, and Uniworld. Out of these, I would rate Viking the lowest. The ship was tired with worn upholstery, and the cabin layout and design was awful. Even though it was the same size as other lines I had used before, the design of storage caused my traveling companion and me to always be in each other's way. Most important, the crew lacked the training and professionalism present on other cruise lines. While they were enthusiastic and eager to please, the knowledge that comes with experience just wasn't there. We were sailing in Holland, and the Cruise Director didn't speak Dutch--a major drawback. The oldest person aboard ship was 24 years old--I felt like I was at summer camp and the campers were in charge. We frequently got incorrect information due to lack of knowledge. I echo the previous poster who encouraged you to look at Vantage. They are the best out there. The ships are fabulous: well designed, comfortable, and constantly updated. The crew couldn't be better. Every request or inquiry was promptly and accurately attended to. They are exceptionally thoughtful and most importantly, well-trained. No Program Manager can work in a country whose language he/she doesn't speak. I know the company has recently updated its itineraries and is continuously trying to add new destinations. Uniworld is also a good choice. While they are not as deluxe as Vantage, they are a quality provider and have some destinations not covered by others. Posted by lnclaunc
We used Viking in France. Be warned to book the highest level cabin. We did not and suffered for it...a pull down bed and sofa type bed. My husband is 6'4"! We could hear EVERYTHING in the next cabin. Crew was wonderful, trips off the boat were everything we could have wanted and the food was excellent. Something to consider is that passengers line up for dinner way in advance in order to take control of the best tables for their party. We disliked this aspect and will probably not travel on a riverboat in the future because of it. Perhaps not the fault of the cruise line but certainly there MUST be something to eliminate this feature of riverboating. Posted by Lynn M
Dear lnclaunc and Lynn M, We are very sorry to hear that your expectations of Viking were not met. All your concerns are important to us and we kindly ask that you both allow us the opportunity to discuss them with you in greater detail. Please contact us directly at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com. Kindest regards, Viking River Cruises
We have travelled on two Viking River Cruises-Nurenberg to Bucherest and the Moscow to St. Petersburg. On both cruises we found that Viking did a fabulous job. The crew spoke excellent English and were very attentive, the kitchen staff was responsive and the chef shared some of his cooking secrets when asked. The guide crew went out of their way to include everyone and make sure everyone enjoyed themselves. On the Russian trip we let Viking book our airline tickets, they were able to find cheaper and better flight schedules that I had been able to locate (we chose were we wanted to sit on the plane and I was able to use my elite status to move up to better seat locations).
Selecting the right river cruise ship is vital. Many ships and cruise lines are completely different from each other. Viking River has been in the cruise business for 15 years and has the largest fleet. They have made great strides in bringing the older ships up to date and are bringing out many new ships. This post originated a couple years ago...and may not be as relavant as it once was.
As far as pricing...I don't really like price deception. My advice is to pair up with a river cruise specialist who know the differences and use their expertise to select a cruise. They can tell you the true price that may be completely different than you read. Good luck.
