oceanview64

13 hours ago, cocopico said:

There is only one “included” tour in Athens, which is a “panoramic” tour of the city.  It is described on the Viking website as “See the highlights of Athens by motor coach and visit the National Archaeological Museum. From the port of Piraeus, journey with your guide into ancient Athens. You will pass the small harbor of Zea, whose 5th-century BC dock still survives, and the elegant promenade at Mikrolimano. In the center of historic Athens, you will see the Hellenic Parliament and Syntagma (Constitution) Square, as well as the distinctively uniformed Presidential Guard, or “Evzones,” at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Your scenic drive also includes views of Panathenaic Stadium and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Following the panoramic tour, you will visit the National Archaeological Museum, one of the world’s great museums. With more than 11,000 exhibits, it provides a panorama of Greek civilization from the beginnings of prehistory to Late Antiquity. If you would like, enjoy a coffee at one of the many local cafés during your free time.”

Many thanks to you Cocopico - this is exactly what I needed

Hi all,   We are booked for Sept 2020 Viking Sea for the Empires of the Mediterranean starting in Athens and onto Venice.  We went to Athens in 2010 and have been to the Acropolis and Parliament and also gone on a tour to Cape Sounion.   For the 2020 trip we plan to go into Athens a day early and want arrange a tour but we don't want to duplicate what Viking will be offering us for the day and a half that we will be docked in Piraeus.  If anyone has kept or knows what the included tours are in Athens this September perhaps you could let me know.  Many thanks in advance.  Jan

Hi there - I am curious about the time of year you went on the Empires of the Mediterranean cruise? Also did you do the Athens to Venice or the reverse? When you went to Venice where was the ship docked? Many thanks, Jan.

I have only limited experience so far, with only one Viking ocean cruise complete and two more booked, and eylarson's description of shore excursions is pretty accurate. I would add a few points. We may have been particularly lucky with the set of shore excursions on Empires of the Mediterranean, but several of the included excursions we took were predominately walking tours, with inside visits to museums (Athens and Olympia) and a monastery (Dubronink). Most tours do include time on your own. Optional excursions may be smaller groups than the included tours. If you read the detailed descriptions of the included excursions for each tour, you will have a good idea of what is in store for you.

 

Be aware that Viking's offer is "an included excursion in every port", and they do mean that precisely. Even if you are in a port overnight, for two days or more, you still get just one included excursion in that port.

 

A final detail, regarding the guide's use of the Quiet Vox audio system. The guides' use of the system was a bonus on each of our tours. The range of the device is good, so you don't have to remain clustered right by your guide. I am usually off on my own to take pictures, and could still hear.

 

If you are accustomed to booking small group tours, you may still wish to do so, but at least check the details of the Viking tours. As cruise novices, we were very pleased with our experiences.

Thank you for the information. So glad to hear water level is good in Basel. We will be on the Viking Kara on Nov. 13th from Basel. You mentioned that you were headed out for a tour of Basel - is that included or are you doing it on your own? We did not get any information about a tour. I'd love to do that too. Thanks, Jan

Hello oceanview64,

 

November 13th is a still a long time to go for river levels, hopefully all will be back to normal by then.

 

But I will try to answer your questions. First of all, your itinerary I presume is a Rhine Getaway one - there is a great thread for that in the river cruising roll calls. Past cruisers and future cruisers have detailed chats about things in there, do have a look, recommended for little details especially.

 

The castle section is completely in Germany, almost all of it in Rhineland-Palatinate, I will try and direct you to it: the Lorelei near the town of St. Goar has the geodata

50°08'22.5"N 7°43'43.8"E

50.139591, 7.728829

on google maps

 

If you are bussed through this section you should be on the opposing side of the Lorelei to be able to see it, of course. The castles are on both river sides, i.e. hills, and it is basically possible to do the route on both sides. If you wanted to cross within the castle stretch you would need to take a ferry, there is no bridge.

 

I do not think Viking would bus you through there. Last year they used the local service Gilles based in Vallendar, a poster reported this last year: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2191352&page=13 post#257

 

There are other companies that could take on such a task.

 

This was at a river level 15 cm lower than it is now.

 

Unfortunately, the loveliest ship in the Middle Rhine Valley, the Goethe, has a deep draft, so she might not sail you through the castle stretch.

 

I do not recall anyone reporting the were bussed for seven days. Most sections of the river are dredged out so deeply that sailing for river cruise ships is o.k. The Basel harbour areas might be tricky for deep drafts right now, but that is my speculation. Viking did put a note on their website of a ship waiting for embarkation in Breisach I recall, rather than Basel. So there certainly was some issue earlier in the month.

 

As regards hotel stays: I do not remember.

 

I hope I have been able to help.

 

If you have any further question, especially where mobility is concerned or logistics for embarkation, I am convinced Viking will send you info closer to the date if it becomes necessary. Or phone their customer helpline.

 

The sun is out, by the way, and the slightly golden leaves are shining bright.

 

notamermaid

You are amazing - thank you for all this great information. So nice to know we won't miss the views of the castles from the river. I feel better and feel more optimistic about the cruise already. You are right - there is still time for more rain. I just hope it doesn't rain every day we're there to make up for the past 3 months. LOLOLOL. Jan

Worms is at 52cm, Koblenz at 67cm this morning. The river level fluctuates every day a few centimetres. The general trend is still towards further down until Tuesday. At the moment it looks as that will be the lowest and the bad conditions of last year will not be repeated. A major rise is not in sight for at least a week, though.

 

Looks like the 110m ships will all be fine, those with the deepest draft of the 135m ones will struggle a little, at least having to go slowly. The Viking Kvasir and the Amacerto have made it through the Rhine gorge and the passengers on the Viking Idi are having that pleasure this morning. Unfortunately it is very misty, I hope they can see the castles on the hills. Everything that is further than 400m away in my part of the valley is completely blurred.

 

notamermaid

We are sailing on the Viking Kara from Basel to Amsterdam on November 13 -20th- I have been reading your daily reports. You are providing us with a wonderful service, thank you so much. We have decided to take the trip no matter what - I'm not sure what that means -. I imagine there is at least one large section where the water depth is insufficient for the ships to pass and that's why we are bussed from one ship to the other. If we are to be bussed through the castle area are we on roads in France or Germany? Do we cross over the Rhine to see both sides? I hope these don't sound like silly questions. Have you ever heard of the whole 7 days needing to be bussed? Somewhere I think I read that if the water is low in Basel we are bussed upriver to get the ship - is there a problem down in Basel as well? In another post, I think I saw someone mention staying in hotels if necessary - have you heard of that? I think if I understand what is going on I will be able to roll with the punches if this is going to be what it's like on our trip. Again - I am so grateful for your time and information. Jan and Bill

We are having a very sunny weekend in the Rhine valley at mild temperatures. Yesterday I saw the first autumn mists floating over the river. Not much has happened lately, luckily, apart from small incidents like a mild bump of a barge against another and a World War II bomb found near the river at Duisburg, diffused succesfully without much disruption to everyday life.

 

But, here comes the negative bit. The river levels have fallen, as it is so sunny and there has been hardly any rain lately. Moselle and Rhine, as well as the Neckar, have "lost water" a bit so that the first gauging stations are reporting low status. It is a situation we reckon with every year, depending on rainfall August and September can be low. Last year was extreme though, to say the least. As these cut-off points for reporting low or normal water are based on a ten year statistical average, it does not mean one will automatically encounter problems. Yet it is something to watch. I will report back if it gets worse.

 

The weather will stay mild with more or less no rain forecast for the next three days.

 

notamermaid

We are sailing on the Viking Kara from Basel to AMS on Nov 13th-20th - I appreciate your reports and I will follow the river level along with your posts. Thank you Jan