Viking Helvetia - overpriced, overrated, overblown

#1

Cruised with Viking in May along the Rhine. Will NEVER cruise with them again.
Plus points
- some of the staff were really great, and took great care of my elderly mother, especially when she got confused and couldn't remember where her cabin was...
- coaches were very comfortable
- getting on and off the ship was relatively painless

Negatives
- Although specifically requested when booking, my dietary requirements were not taken into account and I had to keep sending meals back until they got it right (or omitted the offending ingredients)
- Included excursions only just cope with someone in a wheelchair and there is relatively little attention paid when we had to lag behind for my mother to use a restroom. In fact the program director got quite irate about us not keeping up!
- our cabin flooded and we had to move, then when we had moved the cabin was not cleaned regularly, sometimes being overlooked altogether, despite our regular reminders.
- Someone we met is a vegetarian and she had to live on pasta or salad for the entire week, as the evening meals were mainly meat based. She, too had raised this issue when booking.
- On board activities were limited / non-existent, depending on the day. Particularly bad when we were confined to the ship.
- Excessive engine noise disturbed our sleep - ship travels mostly at night.
- Breakfast short and very early to accommodate excursions.
- Included excursions very early to allow for "optional" (ie money generating) excursions later in the day.
- Tipping expected everywhere and by everyone, from guides to drivers.
- The one excursion we paid for was an overpriced nightmare where the menu was fixed and what was presented as a meal and a "show" was nothing more than a trip to a local eatery where the resident band did their thing.

I will never, ever cruise with Viking again. When we complained and got short shrift, we decided to cancel the Christmas 2014 cruise we had booked with them. Shocked to be informed that, even cancelling seven months out we would lose the entire deposit. This is little more than daylight robbery and they really do not care. Don't waste your money with them.

#2

we make a point of booking river cruises where the excursions aren't included.

we used http://www.lueftner-cruises.com/en/index.html last time

#3

here's one of their menus:
http://www.cruise-community.me.uk/galle ... age_id=236

#4

Welcome to the Cruise Community Forum

#5

I'm going on Viking at the end of this month ( well I hope I still am, but that's another story)

Some of the events described in the review were unfortunate, but I'm thinking that maybe the poster didn't read the brochure or do other research before booking the cruise.

All my pre booking reading indicated that this is a cruise for people who are still fit and active - not really suitable for wheelchair users.

All excursions are 'money generating', it's just that some are included in the cruise fare. It wouldn't make sense to schedule the morning outings later, and not be back in time for the afternoon excursion departures.

The brochures make it clear that there is not vast amounts of on board entertainment. This is a different experience to an ocean cruise. The emphasis is on the excursions and the scenery - I'm not expecting lots of time lounging around on a sun bed, going to various entertainments and shows in the evening. I'm expecting a busy cruise, with early nights as I will have been active all day.

Doesn't everybody tip the guides and drivers on coach trips? I thought that was the done thing.

The engine noise thing was helpful, as I now have tinnitus, I was hoping for some sort of noise to listen to, so I don't focus on the tinnitus.

Some of the things that happened to the poster on the cruise were unfortunate, but dare I venture to suggest that maybe the OP should be cross at him/herself for not booking the right cruise, rather than being angry at Viking?

#6

This report does not coincide with our Viking experience at all but then we are neither vege nor disabled, we will certainly re-book with them if the itinerary suits us.

I agree that the tips are fairly steep and on a par with US Cruise Lines but they were not unexpected nor compulsory, our inclusive and supplemental excursions were all excellent but we would have complained had we been slowed down / held up by any passenger(s) who should have stayed on board else booked a different type of holiday.

It is probably fair to say that a Riverboat Cruise is best enjoyed by folk who are active and willing to try something a little different.

ps ... hello and welcome

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