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For those seeking more space, seven Veranda Suites (275 square feet apiece) on the Upper Deck have small living rooms with sofas, desks and balconies, as well as separate bedrooms with vanities and French balconies. Naturally, safety is a primary concern of travelers and the crew. There was a mandatory safety drill on our first full day of the river cruise. Life vests were under the beds, but prior to the drill, they were placed on our beds while we were at lunch. Just before the drill, we were all asked to return to our staterooms and don our life vests. After that, we went to an assigned group on the upper deck (groups are determined by what floor the staterooms are on), and we had to give our stateroom number to the staff at the assigned location (for roll call).
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The line puts out loungers, some in the sun and some under cover, so you can enjoy drinks and river views. The sundeck also has an herb garden, a shuffleboard area and two putting greens (although these are very rarely used). Let's dive into what you'll find on a Viking river cruise ship. On our trip, we met interesting people; visited fascinating places; sampled new foods, wines, and beer; and appreciated Viking’s convenience and gracious hospitality. We can’t say enough about how well-run and maintained the ships are.
Parallel Parked Ships
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Which Viking River Cruise Ships Sail on the Rhine, Main and Danube?
Viking also offers many balcony cabins and suites on its river ships — something that isn't always the case in the river cruise business, where space on vessels is at a premium. However, unlike its ocean ships, Viking's river ships aren't all-balcony-cabin vessels. Some can have as many as 25 cabins per ship that are below the waterline and have windows high in the walls.
Each of the Owner's Suites has a separate bedroom, living room, dining area that seats six people and master bathroom that includes a sauna with a glass wall facing the ocean. Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris have what some in the cruise industry call an "infinite veranda" — a balcony-like space created by a window wall that opens from the top down. Instead, they are eminently functional, with storage in all the right places, lots of outlets for charging your devices and lighting right where you need it. We love the reading lights built into the fabric headboards of beds, which come in addition to the lamps on bedside tables.
There's an adjacent pantry that can be used by staff serving room service or catering hosted events. Among other personal touches related to Hagen, the company founder, are book, wine and music collections that he curated for the rooms. Each of the Explorer Suites is a two-room complex with a well-appointed living and dining area complete with a table that seats four people. Very large master bathrooms feature a double-sink vanity, a spacious glass-enclosed shower and a bathtub (something you won't find in any of the lesser cabin categories on the vessels).
It’s relaxed and has an abundant food buffet with soup, a variety of salads, meats, warm sandwiches (like paninis and Cuban sandwiches), fruit, and dessert. There’s always iced tea — often with different flavors every day. Servers take your drink orders (sodas, beer, wine) and freshen up your glass when it is empty. The Aquavit Terrace is one advantage Viking has over its competition. This is a great venue for enjoying the passing landscape on travel days and relaxed dining every day. You’ll find Viking River cruises throughout Europe, Egypt, and Southeast Asia.
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The recommended tipping (for each guest) on excursions is 2 Euros for local guides and 1 Euro for bus drivers. For example, once the crew knows that everyone is accounted for after excursions, the ship is sailing within minutes of the anticipated departure (as noted in the Viking Daily). About 15 minutes before each excursion, there is an announcement to remind guests that it is almost time to leave and to remember the listening devices. River cruises are designed for the mature traveler as Viking guests must be 18 years old. Many of the guests are retired, but there were quite a few still working or recently retired.
Suites on Viking cruise ships
You are living on the bottom of a steel ship floating in ice water. And parts of the Danube were partially frozen and there ice chunks floating in the river. They gave us extra blankets that we spread on the floor and I bought warm slippers at our first stop. Sometimes (depending on the river ship) the lower level cabins (closest to the water) might not have full-length windows. An elevator runs between the ship's Main Deck and upper deck only; passengers with mobility issues should avoid cabins on the lower deck and may miss out on activities up on the Sun Deck. When the weather's nice, the sundeck on Viking Longships is also a central part of their layout.
Keep reading and hopefully, the following information will help you understand the difference between the suites and staterooms on Viking River Cruise ships. The Owner's Suites, of which there is just one on each traditional Viking ocean vessel, are truly sprawling and impressive complexes that measure 1,448 square feet. They are true owner's suites in that they are used by Viking founder and chairman Torstein Hagen when he sails on the ships, and they feature some of his personal mementos, including family pictures. Viking's ocean ships also offer a large number of suites, many of which are quite spacious. If you're looking for a room that is big and open on an ocean cruise (and are willing to pay extra for it), Viking has plenty of options. Two river lines are notable for providing butler service to passengers in some categories.
These 25 rooms, coming in at 150 square feet, are often called "aquarium class" because the windows are at the same level of the river outside. While you don't get the benefit of fresh air, people often choose these cabins for their lower price point and the fact that you often don't spend all that much time in your room on a typical river cruise. Having a step-out balcony on a European river ship is not a given. Viking has designed its Longships so there are 39 cabins with full step-out balconies, where you can sit with your coffee in the morning and enjoy watching the river.
(The line is also retrofitting its older ships so more cabins will have sofa beds.) Tauck also has suites that can accommodate three adults over 18, as well as two parents and a child. The recommended minimum age for Tauck's family river cruises is eight years old. Notably, some river cruise lines have tinkered with this setup.
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Both of the first two categories of balcony cabins come with minibars stocked with complimentary soft drinks, water and snacks. In the case of Deluxe Veranda Staterooms, staff replenishes these minibars once per day. Viking is one of the only cruise brands in the world that offers a balcony with every cabin on every ocean ship it operates — even the least expensive, smallest cabins.
The top deck in good weather is great for viewing the scenery. The bar/lounge is usually nice and you can meet people there and socialize. I can't think of a reason to choose a right-side vs. left-side cabin. Generally boats keep to the right as cars do, but you'd have just as good or bad a view either way. While regular cabins on Vantage's ship, River Venture, do not have room for a third berth, the Owners Suite does have a sofa that converts to a bed.
