All this week we are took you inside Viking River Cruises and have already talked about where they go and how much it costs to get there, entertainment, onboard programming and accommodations aboard their ships. So what about it? Is a river cruise for you? Today we dive in to tackle that big question
As we have seen this week, there is a huge difference between an ocean cruise and a river cruise and its not just the water they sail on. So let’s break it down and see where a river cruise might be good for some travelers and not so good for others
Travelers will like a Viking River Cruise if…
- They are outgoing, social people who like to mingle. Frankly, there is no place to hide on these small ships and being a part of it all is a big ingredient in the recipe for a successful river cruise experience.
- They would like to be outgoing, social people who like to mingle: This is a great place to start as everyone already has something in common.
- They want everything on the ship to be within a minute’s walk- The small ships are easy to maneuver and remember where things are.
- They are heavy Internet users- Ship wide Wi-Fi is always available, free and has a strong signal.
- They are into history and seeing things they may have seen in movies, on TV or studied all their lives. River cruises get up close and personal with iconic destinations every single day.
- They are tired of sailing with thousands of others- Viking River Cruises ships hold about 200 people.
- They don’t like leaving luggage in the hallway on the last night- With 200 people, there is no luggage jungle to wade through after the sailing.
- They are traveling solo- The single supplement is frequently waived. With little other distractions, meeting people is easy.
- They don’t want to pay for wine and beer with meals- Both are included with a Viking River Cruise.
- They don’t want to pay for shore excursions- They are included on a Viking River Cruise.
- They don’t want to go on a shore excursion- While included in the price, there is not Viking war lord forcing you to go.
- They have brainiac kids- While there is little for kids to do on the ship, the ships do stop at the places they read about in history books.
- They have problems with motion discomfort- On a river cruise, there are no waves and you can always see the shoreline. Motion discomfort is rare.
Travelers will not like a Viking River Cruise if…
- They like long, lazy days at sea- there simply are none on most itineraries.
- They like lots of dining options- On a river cruise there is one dining room and everyone eats at the same time.
- They love to tender- River cruises stop at shoreside always, there is no such thing as a tender on a river cruise
- They like foo foo drinks with umbrellas- This is not the scene here. But your river cruise ship might stop close to a centuries-old winery or distillery.
- They were lousy at history in school or simply don’t care about it much- A great deal of the allure of a river cruise is getting up close and personal with those place that we studied as kids in school. If that bored you then, not all hope is lost but its a point against river cruising.
- They like gambling on board- Viking River Cruises has no casino on their ships, although they do stop at some places on some itineraries that have casinos.
- They live for room service- Viking River Cruises has no room service.
- They like top deck extreme sports features- There are none
- They have regular kids- There is simply nothing for them to do on the ship. Off ship is another story (see above) but there is no children’s program
- They are looking for a “cheap” cruise- Discounted river cruises still run about twice price of a discounted ocean cruise.
If I have not said it yet this week, it’s overdue: River cruising is all about the destinations and the enduring focus, where the memories are made is off the ship. That’s a big difference over ocean cruising, especially when comparing to huge mega ships.
So what questions do you have about Viking River Cruises? Let me know with a comment here or an email to Editor@ChrisCruises.net and we’ll get back with answers.
In case you missed an episode, here are the other posts from Inside: Viking River Cruises
And here is more general information about Viking River Cruises from our sailing in 2012. Stay tuned as we head back across the pond in March for another dose of Viking River Cruises
- Cruise line to christen four ships in one day
- Viking christens thinking man’s ships at Amsterdam ceremony
- River cruise line staterooms on par, if not better, than the best at sea
- Cruise line introduces suites, on a river ship
- Getting there is half of something, we’re just not sure what
- A river ride to Kinderdijk
- Upgrades a silent priority on international flights
- River cruising defined by Viking River Cruises (video)
- Making a Viking River Cruises longship (video)
- Your cruise questions answered: Viking River Cruises 101
- River cruise line staterooms, a look inside the best
- It is all about destination immersion with river cruising
