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The cuisine served onboard AmaWaterways ships is inspired by regional dishes and made with locally sourced ingredients. Throughout the voyages, they feature special drinking and dining events for guests along with entertainment themed to the country you're visiting such as a string quartet or folk dancing. Most of the Avalon's cabins are Panorama Suites, which offer a wide view of the rivers on which you are traveling. Book their "Open-Air Balcony" and enjoy wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open for fresh air.
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By building modern European river ships at scale, Viking has been credited with revitalizing river cruising due to their deck plans, cabins and dining spaces. Typically, cruise lines operate either ocean cruises or river cruises but not both. Not only does the California-based company offer ocean cruises in almost every corner of the world, it also offers river cruises on many of the world's major rivers. Viking's ocean ships also offer a large number of suites, many of which are quite spacious. Even the smallest cabins on Viking's ocean ships are large by cruise ship standards at 270 square feet, and the largest suites measure nearly 1,500 square feet.
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That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we always recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises. Viking also includes access to the thermal areas of its spa in its base fares. Such access almost always comes with an extra charge on cruise vessels. During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, a short-sleeve shirt and shorts are just fine.
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You will only need money for small extras such as coffee, snacks or gifts and even these can be paid for with a credit card. River ships are cashless and any onboard spending, including gratuities if they are not covered as part of your fare, will be added to your final account to be settled by credit card. Activities include educational lectures from visiting professors, and well as local entertainment, and even Broadway-level performances. The ship's "Design Your Time" concierge service will help personalize your onboard and onshore experiences.
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The next biggest player in Europe river cruises for North Americans, AmaWaterways, is less than half the size. This evening dress code is not enforced at the casual World Cafe eateries on Viking ocean ships, where passengers can go even more casual in the evenings. Note that Viking river ships do not have fitness centers, which is relatively unusual for river ships.
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As you leave the ship, you’ll scan your room key to indicate your departure and rescan it upon returning. 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. On the other side of the menu are “regional specialties” or options that are focused on our destinations. On one side of the menu are the “classics” or options that are always available. When we cruised, the “classics” included Caesar salad as a starter; steak, salmon, and chicken as entrees, and Creme Brûlée, a selection of cheeses, a fruit plate, and ice cream for dessert.
Viking ships all sport calming Scandinavian decor and are designed efficiently. The general experience on all Viking River cruise ships is the same, no matter what ship you’re on. However, the information in this article is from our Grand European Tour cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest aboard the Skirnir and Modi (more on the two ships later). Once you’ve booked a Viking cruise, take the next steps, like creating an online account with Viking, to ensure a wonderful adventure.
Suffice it to say that Viking has this all figured out and has contingency plans firmly in place. Some guests preferred to stay in the Lounge and simply relax, read a book, or enjoy the view beyond the big plate glass window or take in the views from the sun deck. Without a doubt, we give Viking chefs top marks for the presentation and flavor of the food they serve. We always enjoyed the variety of food from the local areas we were visiting. After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible.
It's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with tables for six and eight. Breakfast and lunch are buffets that are served during set times, although you can also order cooked-to-order items off the menu. While it's not what we'd consider a "foodie" experience and doesn't have as much regional focus as you might expect, Viking's river ships have menus that appeal to a wide range of palates.
River cruising is all about the destinations visited, and excursion are, by far, the most popular Viking River activity. In all ports, passengers have at least one free sightseeing option, with several extra-fee choices as well. Onboard, there are few activities to engage in but the occasional onboard presentation (usually a lecture, or local dance or music troupe) draws a crowd.
With longer port calls and our destination-focused approach, Viking maximizes your discoveries in Europe. From the fairytale castles of the Middle Rhine to the natural beauty of Norwegian fjords, you will gain deep insight into the continent’s cultural and historic riches. Since they are sister ships, they are the same, so the only thing that changed was the crew. The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well. Stairs connect all the decks; an elevator service the upper and middle decks.
For this subset of travelers, Viking offers a wide range of both ocean and river cruise itineraries that have a heavy focus on the destinations visited. "Having traveled on seven Viking longships that are virtually indistinguishable from one another, I believe it's the consistency that makes Viking one of our favorite ways to travel," said one reader. The longships are light-filled floating boutique hotels with a Scandinavian-design aesthetic, indoor and outdoor dining, and herb gardens up on top.
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Every one of the line's 930-passenger ocean ships has a main restaurant (called, simply, The Restaurant) with rotating menus that include dishes that tie to the destination where the vessel is sailing. There also are casual buffet eateries called World Cafe on every vessel. Viking has more ships than any other major cruise brand in the world, more than 90 in all. It also has both ocean ships and river ships — something that is unusual among major lines. The best river cruises blend refined onboard accommodations with exciting itineraries along some of the world’s most memorable waterways.
In many ways, it's a combination of the best Viking river cruises in Europe as it takes in the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers and Dutch waterways. Find the full list of the best river cruise lines — and more on what sets Viking apart — below. Because most people travel in pairs or a family on a cruise, rates are based on double occupancy. Solo travelers are still welcome but may have to pay a supplement fee for booking as a single-occupancy rather than a double. These excursions are all included in the price of the cruise and are considered part of the river experience, although they aren't included for the sole domestic option on our list, the American Queen Steamboat Company. Viking is the largest river cruise operator with over 50 Longships in their fleet.
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