Needless to say, its handy to have small change for tipping. Power Adapter Type - Holland America Line. Also can you remember if those two cities is where the boat docked. We have extended our cruise to allow two extra days in Budapest, thus giving us four days there. During the day on excursions, travelers dress very comfortably as they leave the ship to explore a destination. Have a wonderful trip! The dress code on Viking Ocean Cruises is very relaxed. Thanks for your kind words, Triana. They also are known for providing little touches that many guests appreciate. Is there a "dress code" on the ship? But having to pack additional converters or keeping your fingers crossed that . Life vests were under the beds, but prior to the drill, they were placed on our beds while we were at lunch. A good idea if youre a runner is to check with the reception desk to map out when there will be time in the morning to leave the ship for a jog or run before excursions begin. No, I havent been on a Midnight Sun cruise but this article I recently wrote for Forbes.com may offer some general advice that could be helpful: https://www.forbes.com/sites/irenelevine/2018/05/01/7-packing-tips-to-make-your-european-river-cruise-hassle-free/#43a857661797. Viking then allowed us to purchase a no-expiry date voucher towards another cruise an amount they matched. Some of these plugs are grounded and some are not. What is the electrical voltage in the staterooms? Viking has guest departures timed to match their future travel plans. I checked the website and all in-room amenities are listed under the name of each ship. No need to bring any foodstuffs because youll never be hungry. Just found your sitelots of great info! Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link LinkedIn. Since we booked through our travel agent, Viking sent her the final travel documents, and she checked them before passing them on to us. WOW, what a complete piece of well written and informative information we have come across. Did you use local guides? A few guests scheduled independent sightseeing tours, and it seemed to work out well for them. Oh, Im so happy youre able to enjoy traveling safely during the pandemic. Mifaso 7-in-1 Desktop Power Strip. Best, Irene, Hi Glenise, I know other travelers who just get cash out of ATMs while traveling (and Ive done that, too, of course), but I just like beginning the trip with some local cash. Were celebrating our 50th! Since you need the refrigerator for your medicine, I would call the cruise line just to make sure it will be large enough to meet your needs or to see if a larger one can be placed in your cabin. Interesting information! Theres always iced tea often with different flavors every day. Have fun! Many folks do tend to change from the clothes they wore for daily excursions to something a little dressier for dinner, but I wouldnt call dinner attire dressy. Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. reddit i ghosted; african violet planter pot; get paystub from adp; Related articles; hottest cartoon character list female; kohler simplice. (The price of the package varies, but it comes to about $20 or so a day per person.) In addition, there are quite a few optional excursions available at an extra cost. Straightening or curling irons are another story. The Aquavit Terrace is one advantage Viking has over its competition. The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. These long-haired, beautiful women descended from the skies into battles to decide which soldiers lived and which died. There are also bright red full-size Viking umbrellas to take along on excursions if its raining. I laughed out loud at the comments from Shelly and Mary. One question I have is how you handled local currency in Hungary as they do not use the euro. The only exception to the no-adapter rule below: Make sure you bring European-style adapters for the plugs, and that the hair tools can run on 220V current (for use near the makeup table in your cabin). Alternatives include USB charging stations, multi-socket outlets, or outlet adapters which don't contain a surge protector. Aside from three meals a day, snacks are always accessible whether you miss a meal, wake up late, or simply have a craving between meal hours. Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary) 55" OLED flat-screen TV featuring MSNBC, FOX News, National Geographic and more. Herding 169 tourists onto separate buses all going separate places at separate timeswow, thats a job! We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well. When you return to your room, you will notice the dinner menus for that evening. Follow the link below to discover further details about what life is like aboard a Viking Cruises ship. They may be familiar enough with Vikings schedule to easily accommodate you. Using ATMs machines? But, what else would we spend money on? Some travelers prefer to book through Viking itself. Three meals are included each day at the following times: Soda, beer, and house wine are available at lunch and dinner at no charge. I liked the posted copy of the daily news and we had already decided from our ocean experiences to take the drinks package. All outlets are European style (2 pin) with . Youll find Viking river cruises all through Europe as well as in Egypt and Southeast Asia. Hi Cynthia, I bet youre so excited about your upcoming trip! Designed and crafted to safely navigate the Lower Mekong River in Viking style, Saigon will carry a maximum of 80 passengers between My Tho and Kampong Cham as part of the . Hi. Regsrding snacks you forgot to mention that you do not need room service as each room comes with a bar fridge and that snacks like the delicious home baked cookies are readily available ftim the World Cafe. My husband and I will be sailing with Viking on a Rhine River cruise (Netherlands to Lucerne) this month and our very first river cruise (during a pandemic). So it comes down to how much and what kind of beverages youre likely to consume each day. Everyone should read this as every question seems to be answered well and clearly! 110/220 V power outlets; complimentary Wi-Fi and Internet; . This is because some guests may have canceled their planned optional excursions prior to the cruise; so its a good practice to check on this and any other concerns once youre on board. Try to think through where youll be, and what youll be doing, and make lists as reminders to guide your packing. 3. most electronics or travel stores. We thoroughly enjoyed a Viking Ocean cruise in 2019 and have been eager to try river cruising. (This is handy because you might encounter tour groups from other Viking ships that are docked in the same city at the same time.) One thing I think I discovered was that the iPad pulls a heavy load to recharge and might not do well plugged into the power strip while other stuff is also charging. It easily holds passports and other travel documents along with jewelry and money. I was really glad I had brought my own shampoo and conditioner. That way, Viking could clean the staterooms and ready the ship for the passengers boarding later that day for the next cruise. Im bring my hair styling tool and want to plug it in to 110v in the bathroom. More to come below but also read my list of essential Cruise Hacks, for both sea and ocean voyages: Cruise Hacks: Packing and Other Cruise Tips, Norwegian Waffle at Mamsens (Credit: Jerome Levine). This. Bon voyage! There are also 2. We also got a power strip with USB ports for all our stuff. The hairdryer is not in the bathroom, but in the bedroom, in a drawer under the counter where the outlets are. If youre interested in figuring out the details, you may want to ask Viking for a bar menu with pricing before making up your mind. Also note: They come with large print labeling so those over 40 dont need to take their peepers into the shower. Its a great one! Rosetta. Hi Robin, you pose a great question, but it isnt easy to answer! Since there are often different excursions leaving simultaneously. So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! Yes. More information on menu choices is below under Meals. The coffee station is always available, although the baked goods tend to be gobbled up in the late afternoon. us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. My husband had been to a number of these cities on business and wanted me to visit them too, and this makes it sound easy. Perhaps, youll leave your sunglasses or swimsuit at home, or will forget to bring a sweater for chilly evenings. On the ship, you only need the ID, which you can tuck into a pocket. That gives my husband and me plenty of money for tipping the local guides and bus drivers as well as Viking staff before we leave. The hotel manager was great and the program director was a literal Energizer Bunny. Hi Linda, youre facing a big decision: to go with Silver Spirits or not! Hi, Considering the Silver Spirits package. Many cruise lines have banned bringing power strips on cruise ships due to the chance that the surge protector will overload the circuit and cause potential electrical damage or fires. Thanks so much for the kind words, Laura! Going from A to B with two extra days in Amsterdam and Budapest. There was a broken lock near Regensburg, about halfway between the two big cities. Hi David, it sounds like youre gearing up for a great adventure! I'm sure you won't need to plug everything in at the same time, and I'm also sure that if you leave some of those devices at home you'll have a better time on your cruise. Frankly, I dont think you can go wrong either way, but theyre two very different experiences. We are taking the Grand European cruise, B-A, in late September 2022. If you choose not to prepay the gratuity, Viking adds a discretionary service charge (which was 15 Euros per guest per day when we traveled) to your shipboard account. Unlike a hair dryer, flat irons dont use a lot of current and most are dual voltage (check the tag). Fayetteville, GA, USA. Stairs connect all the decks plus theres an elevator to service the upper and middle decks. We are also thinking of taking an old smart phone and purchasing a SIM card that works in Europe for language translation, directions, and apps to enhance our experience. We are experienced travelers on land but this will be a new experience. This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. All Viking river cruise ship staterooms have: The different types of staterooms range in size, available outdoor space, the time for guaranteed stateroom access, and amenities. (Viking asks that luggage not be placed outside the staterooms when going to bed the previous night due to safety concerns should there be an emergency, having bags in the narrow corridors would pose a safety risk.). If you are traveling on a Viking Longship, you will find both 110V and 220V electrical outlets in your stateroom. My husband and I took the Top of Cologne excursion, and it was one of the best. But having to pack additional converters or keeping your fingers crossed . If you like tea, youll also appreciate the high tea service in the Wintergarden. Just in front of the Lounge to the bow of the ship is the Aquavit Terrace. This should allow you to finalize your plans to disembark and go meet your friends. Viking has thought of that, too. For example, we arrived in Cologne at 9:30 am and our walking tour began at 10:00 am. Well do the Grand European from B to A in October this year. By the desk, there are three plug sockets: one European socket and two U.S. 120V sockets. My husband and I use a major U.S. cellphone carrier that functions well in Europe. Have a wonderful time! excursion card with a number and a letter. Good question, John, but its not an easy one to answer! Sometimes optional excursions sell out, although there are usually some available once youre on the ship. Are there computers, or should I bring my laptop? I dont want to waste any precious time in Amsterdam because this may be the last time we see it. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link I also rarely take precious jewelry on any cruise. Best, Irene. Yep, I really like that grounded adapter in your link and the small strip is handy for packing & very lightweight, but the Belkin offers surge protection & 2.1 Amps. In my experience, this is great advice! Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Oh, Im so glad you had a wonderful cruise with amazing service! Tauck: 220v power is used onboard. That makes it handy for your husband to fetch your morning cup! Radgrid - A Valkyrie. Lolly just finished the Grand European tour a week ago (Budapest-Amsterdam). During lunch and dinner, guests are served complimentary soft drinks, beer, or wine. I would suggest he bring one pair of khakis. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise, which transported us in great comfort to some amazing European destinations.