First time Viking River Cruise Questions

I am leaving in 46 days for Viking Rhine River Cruise and this will be my first river cruise. From my research I see ocean ships and river ships are very different.

I was wondering

Does Viking charge 15% for gratuity on drinks?

Do they offer ice tea as one of their free drinks?

What do they charge for a diet Coke?

What hot tea do they offer?

Is Lotion, Shampoo,etc included?

What is the embarkation like? If you have booked a pre-stay with Viking in Amsterdam do they offer embarkation procedures at the hotel?

Out of curiosity do you get a card like the big cruise ships to make purchases and room key?

Does Viking check your bags when you return to the ship?

How can I find the number for the ship to give to family at home?

Dressing for dinner is casual correct. No dresses but Bermudas, skort would be OK?

I am leaving in 46 days for Viking Rhine River Cruise and this will be my first river cruise. From my research I see ocean ships and river ships are very different.

 

I was wondering

 

Does Viking charge 15% for gratuity on drinks?

 

Do they offer ice tea as one of their free drinks?

 

What do they charge for a diet Coke?

 

What hot tea do they offer?

 

Is Lotion, Shampoo,etc included?

 

What is the embarkation like? If you have booked a pre-stay with Viking in Amsterdam do they offer embarkation procedures at the hotel?

 

Out of curiosity do you get a card like the big cruise ships to make purchases and room key?

 

Does Viking check your bags when you return to the ship?

 

How can I find the number for the ship to give to family at home?

 

Dressing for dinner is casual correct. No dresses but Bermudas, skort would be OK?

Howdy, neighbor, I haven't done a river cruise in a while and can only answer some of your questions.

Yes, each passenger gets a chip card that serves as room key, boarding pass and on board purchases card. Don't punch a hole in the card; you may nick the electronics in the process.

From the Viking website FAQ:

The phone number to reach your ship will be in the docs package that you will receive a few weeks prior to the cruise.

Check in is as you board the ship.

Check out the FAQ. It answers a lot of your questions.

I am leaving in 46 days for Viking Rhine River Cruise and this will be my first river cruise. From my research I see ocean ships and river ships are very different.

 

I was wondering

 

Does Viking charge 15% for gratuity on drinks?

 

Do they offer ice tea as one of their free drinks?

 

What do they charge for a diet Coke?

 

What hot tea do they offer?

 

Is Lotion, Shampoo,etc included?

 

What is the embarkation like? If you have booked a pre-stay with Viking in Amsterdam do they offer embarkation procedures at the hotel?

 

Out of curiosity do you get a card like the big cruise ships to make purchases and room key?

 

Does Viking check your bags when you return to the ship?

 

How can I find the number for the ship to give to family at home?

 

Dressing for dinner is casual correct. No dresses but Bermudas, skort would be OK?

I will try to answer what I can . .

First thing - relax and enjoy your cruise. It will be wonderful and totally different from the large ocean cruise experience.

Diet Coke is free if you get it with a meal. Other times there is a charge.

Several hot teas are offered. Not sure what kind.

They have very good toiletries. Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel and Lotion.

We did a pre-cruise with Viking and it was wonderful. We were met at the airport by our driver and at the hotel by our concierge. All luggage was handled for us. We were transferred from hotel to ship and had extremely simple check in. You just give them your name and you are escorted to your cabin on ship!

You do get a card for a room key like on the large ocean cruises.

Your bags are not checked when you return to ship.

The telephone number for the ship will be in the final documents when you receive them.

We cruised the first week of April but we lived in jeans. We did not dress for dinner and were perfectly comfortable.

Hope this helps!

Thank you everyone for input. I am not going to bring shampoo and such as it will save space/weight. I guess I could buy soda and ice tea for the cabin fridge. I will have to read over the FAQ section.

Thank you everyone for input. I am not going to bring shampoo and such as it will save space/weight. I guess I could buy soda and ice tea for the cabin fridge. I will have to read over the FAQ section.

Unlike ocean cruising, you are allowed to bring sodas, water and wine/whatever for your fridge. We would stop at groceries and get my Diet Cokes.

on Viking Ocean cruises you may bring those items on board too

Unlike ocean cruising, you are allowed to bring sodas, water and wine/whatever for your fridge. We would stop at groceries and get my Diet Cokes.

Not only does Viking permit all of these items to be brought on board both its ocean and river ships but they actually encourage you to sample the local potables, potent and otherwise. There is no corkage fee in the dining room for your wine, There is also no need to hide in your cabin to consume what you have brought on board--or even worse to hide it in brown-paper bag or a water bottle or a sippy cup so you don't get caught drinking it the public areas. The bartenders will happily supply you with glasses and ice (but there is a charge for mixers). I have even heard tell of bartenders who will store your special tipple for you and serve it to you.

In answer to some of your questions which have not been addressed. There is no 15% gratuity added to the cost of the drinks. You do not have to give your key card to wait staff to order a drink. The staff simply asks you for your cabin number. Viking River does not discourage you bringing wine, alcohol or soft drinks on board. Several times we brought wine back to the ship (especially sparkling wine). Since we wanted to share with our table of six, wait staff brought six champagne glasses, opened and served the wine at no extra cost. If you order a Diet Coke or Coke Zero at a meal time, there is no charge.

Googled "Viking river tea coffee station" and found a bunch of photos.

Review of Viking Eir at the beginning of the year - looks like Twining and Ronnefeldt?

http://www.caravansonnet.com/2018/02/viking-eir-viking-river-cruise-ship.html

Anyone know the type of tea on this Viking Njord ship?

Viking Hlin

Most of your questions have been answered, but I will add that embarkation is a little more than giving your name. You must also show your passport. Then one of the crew will escort you to your cabin. It is so easy.

When I did a Viking pre-cruise in Amsterdam two years ago, six passenger vehicles started arriving at the hotel at 2:30. So the registration desk on the ship was never crowded. No embarkation procedures at the hotel, unless they've changed in the past two years.

During your stay in Amsterdam, there will be a Viking representative available at the hotel during the morning and at other times throughout the day. We were given a sheet that had suggestions on things to do along with what tram you should take if you were doing public transportation. But you could also ask the rep for specific information about places and directions.

Have a great time!

I just checked with Viking on the uses of your room key card. It is not used for room charges, only for the door. Room charges are entered manually on paper by the bartender or the front desk.

I am leaving in 46 days for Viking Rhine River Cruise and this will be my first river cruise. From my research I see ocean ships and river ships are very different.

 

I was wondering

 

Does Viking charge 15% for gratuity on drinks?

 

Do they offer ice tea as one of their free drinks?

 

What do they charge for a diet Coke?

 

What hot tea do they offer?

 

Is Lotion, Shampoo,etc included?

 

What is the embarkation like? If you have booked a pre-stay with Viking in Amsterdam do they offer embarkation procedures at the hotel?

 

Out of curiosity do you get a card like the big cruise ships to make purchases and room key?

 

Does Viking check your bags when you return to the ship?

 

How can I find the number for the ship to give to family at home?

 

Dressing for dinner is casual correct. No dresses but Bermudas, skort would be OK?

We just returned from the Viking Rhine cruise (Basel to Amsterdam) in mid-May. Here are my observations an answers to your questions.

No 15% gratuity on drinks. We did not get the beverage package, but you just give your cabin number if you order a beverage in the lounge. The trick is (if you are not heavy drinkers) -- get your wine/soda/iced tea glass refilled before you leave the dining room at lunch and dinner, and just take it with you. REALLY, no one cared!!! You can sit in the lounge or up on deck or in your room with the beverage. A couple of evenings, a wine or sparkling drink was provided free in the lounge during the evening orientation, and sometimes an appetizer or two. You'll want to attend that -- every day just before dinner. You go from the evening orientation directly to dinner. They give you a preview of the next day's activities and time schedules (in addition to the newsletter in your room each nite), so it's a really helpful way to prepare. No charge for soda or iced tea in the dining room, and I got really hooked on these small bottles of cold, Italian lemonade -- delicious! Hot tea was available in the dining room -- I need decaf. Also, just outside the lounge on each side were coffee/tea/cocoa/water stations. You could go fix yourself a cup anytime and take to your room, etc. Tea was in bag, and a variety was available. Also in that area were baskets of fresh cookies (variety rotated, such as oatmeal, chocolate, etc.) and in the mornings, pastries were there instead of cookies. The dining room would have buffet style breakfast -- omelets or eggs made to order, fruits, sausages, bacon, bread and pastries, etc. Then you could order off the menu also -- french toast, eggs benedict, etc. If you're rushed for time in the AM, it works well. They also had champagne sitting there, so you could have a mimosa if you liked and had the time on a more leisurely day. Each day when you get off the boat, you are supposed to pick up your personal card from the desk, and you return it when you reboard. It's not computerized like on the ocean ships, but they do supposedly keep track that everyone is on board. You also get a card as to which tour group you are on (they split the boat in to about 4 groups), so you know which bus you get on. It also has the location of the boat in that port so that you can call or have a place to give to anyone if you are on your own and have an emergency or get lost. Take your listening device, which works quite well. They are small and not very heavy at all and have a neck strap. Each day when you depart, they give you a free bottle of water for your day. Pretty thoughtful, and usually when you get back on they supply you a little treat or small shot of a smoothie. No, they do not check your bags, and in fact they encourage you to bring back beverages or snacks and offer to cork wine for you at no fee if you bring it back on board. One time we had a thing where there were a few boats in port and the other boat had to walk through us to their ship. The staff was a bit more cautious then when we returned, making sure we were on the correct ship and actually belonged there. The hallway doors were secured to prevent anyone wandering through. If you want to purchase anything from the very small shop, you just tell them your room and they put it on your tab which you pay up the night before you debark. Actually the staff seemed to know us on sight after the first day or two and were very friendly and helpful. We did the precruise in Como. Our tour director in charge of us there went with us on all the tours in Como and was always available for help or suggestions. She went with us on the bus to Basel. We stopped in Lucerne for a few hours for lunch, a bit of a walk around, and then time on our own. Very nice lady, and she continued as far as Basel where she told us good bye. I'm assuming Amsterdam would be the same, except your hotel isn't very far from the boat. Getting on the boat was a breeze. We showed our passports at the desk and a staff member took us to our room and ran us through the amenities, quick and easy. The room has several electrical plugs for US needs, and a good hair dryer, so no need to pack that. There are bottles of nice shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion supplied as needed. There is a mini frig in the room, and your steward will bring you fresh water as needed, too. There's adequate drawer and closet and bathroom storage, and store your suitcase under the bed. We had a veranda room, but honestly, we were not in the room all that much. The boat is so much smaller than an ocean ship -- you're up to the dining room or lounge or up on deck in just a minute. It seemed like most days we didn't have a whole lot of time to pretty up between our tour and lunch or dinner, so often I'd just wear what I had on or maybe change my shirt and head to the dining room. It is casual dress. Most ladies had a pretty or nicer blouse or top, but just capris or slacks or even shorts for dinner. I'd imagine by the time you go on your trip it would be warm enough to throw on a summer or sun dress and be comfortable and feel fresh and pretty. BTW -- the room is air conditioned, but you do have to put your room "key" (a plastic card) in the slot to activate the a/c and lights. I put my AARP card in the slot and it worked to keep the a/c running as needed while we were out on tours and not be stuffy when we returned and just made sure to turn the lights off to conserve. A good hint I heard was when out on your tour, set your phone alarm for 30 minutes BEFORE your tour guides meet-up time. That way if you get carried away walking around or relaxing, when your alarm rings you'll have ample time to make your way back. One couple on one of our tours got lost and missed the bus back to the boat, even though we waited 30 minutes for them and we were all concerned. You'll be in the same time zone your entire trip. I think there is a number you can give to your family in the final document booklet that Viking mails to you. I took along my Kindle for reading books on the long flight, and I could check my emails on that while on the boat. Internet isn't that great on the boat, but it works eventually. You need to put your cellphone on airplane mode though unless you purchase an international plan there before you go (mine was $60 for a month). There are also a couple of computers you can use outside the lounge area. It was a wonderful trip. I have no real complaints, except we did have some gloomy, rainy weather. We're from California, so we're not that used to rain. It didn't really interfere with anything with did, and your weather should be much nicer. Viking did have some large umbrellas you could use if needed, but I brought my own small collapsible umbrella and a windbreaker. If you have any other questions about the cruise, the ports, tours, etc. just write to me. We did and saw so much -- it was just amazing.

Barbierahrah THANK YOU! We just got our final docs today and your post has gotten me very excited. Did you do a pre stay with Viking? What adapter do I need for the hotel. Thanks again.

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Barbierahrah THANK YOU! We just got our final docs today and your post has gotten me very excited. Did you do a pre stay with Viking? What adapter do I need for the hotel. Thanks again.

 

 

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Yes, we did the precruise tour in Lake Como and it was awesome. I highly recommend it, and it was nice to get to know the smaller group of folks better before we met up with the boat. We had a nice walking tours, went up the funicular, had a fun, rather long but enjoyable boat ride to Bellagio, plenty of free time too. The hotel was the Sheraton which had a nice pool, and we could easily walk to a little town of Cernobbio which had lots of cafes along the lake. We found a pretty little church, and a lovely garden area on the hillside just beyond the town to explore there. There is a large market next to the hotel for snacks and beverages. Buffet breakfast at the hotel was great. The precruise stay was a good way to acclimate and be at a more relaxed pace before jumping on the boat. The best part was the bus ride through the Alps to Basel. No one had told me before we left, but we stopped at Lucerne for a very nice lunch at a cute spot, saw the Lion Monument, and had time to walk around for a couple of hours on our own to explore the little streets and covered bridge. It was a wonderful surprise to stop there. Unfortunately we did not get to the boat in Basel in time to go on the bus or walk in to town, but I would much prefer Lucerne anyway. I do not believe that we needed an adapter at the Sheraton, but we did stay in Amsterdam and flew on to Munich -- both on our own, but Viking booked the flights as a "deviation" -- and at our hotels in those cities we did need an adapter. I've purchased them at places like Marshall's, and sometimes the hotel will even have them to purchase there or will loan you one that someone has left behind. If you do Como, it does seem to rain there every afternoon, but the tours were in the mornings and the rain never slowed us down or kept us from going out and about -- except to the pool!

Barbierahrah THANK YOU! We just got our final docs today and your post has gotten me very excited. Did you do a pre stay with Viking? What adapter do I need for the hotel. Thanks again.

 

 

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Thought of something else. In Cologne most of the folks we sort of hung out with had booked the evening tour. We weren't interested in beer hall hopping, so we booked the small, semi-private Italian dinner in the Aquavit Terrace on the boat for that nite. It was a nice, quiet change and there is no extra charge for that. Also, in Rudesheim, we didn't book a dinner tour there. We walked around the cute town and found out the gondola was still operating (the Viking front desk had said it would be closed!) so we were able to find the starting point for that and took the ride up. It is a nice view, not very expensive to do, and you can take a short walk to this huge monument that you'll see the next morning from the boat. I thought it was fun. Just take good walking shoes. We did a ton of walking everywhere.

The opening times for the gondola ride do vary. There are special late openings according to the website: http://www.seilbahn-ruedesheim.de/en/selection/ratestimes/

Hope this helps.

notamermaid

We just returned from the Viking Rhine cruise (Basel to Amsterdam) in mid-May. Here are my observations an answers to your questions.

 

No 15% gratuity on drinks. We did not get the beverage package, but you just give your cabin number if you order a beverage in the lounge. The trick is (if you are not heavy drinkers) -- get your wine/soda/iced tea glass refilled before you leave the dining room at lunch and dinner, and just take it with you. REALLY, no one cared!!! You can sit in the lounge or up on deck or in your room with the beverage. A couple of evenings, a wine or sparkling drink was provided free in the lounge during the evening orientation, and sometimes an appetizer or two. You'll want to attend that -- every day just before dinner. You go from the evening orientation directly to dinner. They give you a preview of the next day's activities and time schedules (in addition to the newsletter in your room each nite), so it's a really helpful way to prepare. No charge for soda or iced tea in the dining room, and I got really hooked on these small bottles of cold, Italian lemonade -- delicious! Hot tea was available in the dining room -- I need decaf. Also, just outside the lounge on each side were coffee/tea/cocoa/water stations. You could go fix yourself a cup anytime and take to your room, etc. Tea was in bag, and a variety was available. Also in that area were baskets of fresh cookies (variety rotated, such as oatmeal, chocolate, etc.) and in the mornings, pastries were there instead of cookies. The dining room would have buffet style breakfast -- omelets or eggs made to order, fruits, sausages, bacon, bread and pastries, etc. Then you could order off the menu also -- french toast, eggs benedict, etc. If you're rushed for time in the AM, it works well. They also had champagne sitting there, so you could have a mimosa if you liked and had the time on a more leisurely day. Each day when you get off the boat, you are supposed to pick up your personal card from the desk, and you return it when you reboard. It's not computerized like on the ocean ships, but they do supposedly keep track that everyone is on board. You also get a card as to which tour group you are on (they split the boat in to about 4 groups), so you know which bus you get on. It also has the location of the boat in that port so that you can call or have a place to give to anyone if you are on your own and have an emergency or get lost. Take your listening device, which works quite well. They are small and not very heavy at all and have a neck strap. Each day when you depart, they give you a free bottle of water for your day. Pretty thoughtful, and usually when you get back on they supply you a little treat or small shot of a smoothie. No, they do not check your bags, and in fact they encourage you to bring back beverages or snacks and offer to cork wine for you at no fee if you bring it back on board. One time we had a thing where there were a few boats in port and the other boat had to walk through us to their ship. The staff was a bit more cautious then when we returned, making sure we were on the correct ship and actually belonged there. The hallway doors were secured to prevent anyone wandering through. If you want to purchase anything from the very small shop, you just tell them your room and they put it on your tab which you pay up the night before you debark. Actually the staff seemed to know us on sight after the first day or two and were very friendly and helpful. We did the precruise in Como. Our tour director in charge of us there went with us on all the tours in Como and was always available for help or suggestions. She went with us on the bus to Basel. We stopped in Lucerne for a few hours for lunch, a bit of a walk around, and then time on our own. Very nice lady, and she continued as far as Basel where she told us good bye. I'm assuming Amsterdam would be the same, except your hotel isn't very far from the boat. Getting on the boat was a breeze. We showed our passports at the desk and a staff member took us to our room and ran us through the amenities, quick and easy. The room has several electrical plugs for US needs, and a good hair dryer, so no need to pack that. There are bottles of nice shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion supplied as needed. There is a mini frig in the room, and your steward will bring you fresh water as needed, too. There's adequate drawer and closet and bathroom storage, and store your suitcase under the bed. We had a veranda room, but honestly, we were not in the room all that much. The boat is so much smaller than an ocean ship -- you're up to the dining room or lounge or up on deck in just a minute. It seemed like most days we didn't have a whole lot of time to pretty up between our tour and lunch or dinner, so often I'd just wear what I had on or maybe change my shirt and head to the dining room. It is casual dress. Most ladies had a pretty or nicer blouse or top, but just capris or slacks or even shorts for dinner. I'd imagine by the time you go on your trip it would be warm enough to throw on a summer or sun dress and be comfortable and feel fresh and pretty. BTW -- the room is air conditioned, but you do have to put your room "key" (a plastic card) in the slot to activate the a/c and lights. I put my AARP card in the slot and it worked to keep the a/c running as needed while we were out on tours and not be stuffy when we returned and just made sure to turn the lights off to conserve. A good hint I heard was when out on your tour, set your phone alarm for 30 minutes BEFORE your tour guides meet-up time. That way if you get carried away walking around or relaxing, when your alarm rings you'll have ample time to make your way back. One couple on one of our tours got lost and missed the bus back to the boat, even though we waited 30 minutes for them and we were all concerned. You'll be in the same time zone your entire trip. I think there is a number you can give to your family in the final document booklet that Viking mails to you. I took along my Kindle for reading books on the long flight, and I could check my emails on that while on the boat. Internet isn't that great on the boat, but it works eventually. You need to put your cellphone on airplane mode though unless you purchase an international plan there before you go (mine was $60 for a month). There are also a couple of computers you can use outside the lounge area. It was a wonderful trip. I have no real complaints, except we did have some gloomy, rainy weather. We're from California, so we're not that used to rain. It didn't really interfere with anything with did, and your weather should be much nicer. Viking did have some large umbrellas you could use if needed, but I brought my own small collapsible umbrella and a windbreaker. If you have any other questions about the cruise, the ports, tours, etc. just write to me. We did and saw so much -- it was just amazing.

Brief comment. Breaking your post into paragraphs would make it much easier to read.

If I read OP correctly you are familiar with traditional ocean cruising - probably on the main lines like Carn' or RCL - and this is your first river so the questions …. let me give you some answers in a different way

- the biggest difference you will see from the moment you step aboard comes from one major factor: passenger count. Because the pass' count is so few, things can be much more informal. Bar tenders don't need to check your card for each drink because by the second day they know you by name! Only 1 bar means just a few bar tenders so they know you FAST. Checking in can be super informal … there is no 'terminal' and metal detectors, you just walk on board and up to the desk. By the second day the desk staff knows you by name as well!

- If you enjoy 'libations' look at the spirits package …. as compared to the 'main cruise lines' Viking is a bargain. We'll pay less for the package for a 14 night cruise on V than we paid for a 7 nite cruise recently on OASIS. This is without mentioning the included beer/wine/soft drinks at meals (they say lunch and dinner but there was sparkling wine with the OJ at breakfast as well .. mimosa anyone?)

- We too did a b4 stay and there were a bunch of Viking folks at the same hotel so a bus was due to arrive and take everyone to their vessel (more than one V cruise was leaving from same place). We put our bags out for V to pickup but skipped the ride and enjoyed more of the city and made our own way to the boat in the afternoon. As I mentioned, once located we just walked on board and were greeted by the desk folks; presented our passports, were given key cards and escorted to our cabin, bags were waiting for us. So long as the bags had the vessel name and your name they'd get to your cabin .. remember SMALL SHIP. Much easier to figure out who is where! {if you arrive by bus with a group there will be some wait of course if not first … but IME there is food set out, and drinks so you are invited to have a seat in the lounge … very informal} <if at a hotel V is using for the 'pre' there will probably be a desk with a Viking rep in the lobby to deal with any last minute issue or question>

- dress: shorts are typically not appreciated in the dining room for dinner but Mrs wore capris and felt comfortable. Nice shorts would not be turned away but usually would be in minority IME. Here's folks sitting on deck after dinner in our dinner duds

- as mentioned it is perfectly fine to bring on your own wine etc. AND as mentioned Mrs asked for wine glass to be topped off at the end of dinner - waite staff told us all the half bottles get dumped anyway so why not pour it? (there was a different wine - red and white - as the 'included' each nite, so they did not save opened bottles.)

- we needed no outlet adapters on the Longship - hotels can be a different matter. Note some are just adapters and some are also voltage converters. Your phone charger just needs an adapter … a hairdryer usually needs an adapter/converter. (phone charger runs OK on EU 220 volts - hair dryer burns up) (ebay or amazon will yield hundreds of choices)

Brief comment. Breaking your post into paragraphs would make it much easier to read.

Agreed! Especially for those of us trying to read it on a computer screen. I'm sure your post was full of helpful information, but I didn't/couldn't read it.

I

 

- we needed no outlet adapters on the Longship - hotels can be a different matter. Note some are just adapters and some are also voltage converters. Your phone charger just needs an adapter … a hairdryer usually needs an adapter/converter. (phone charger runs OK on EU 220 volts - hair dryer burns up) (ebay or amazon will yield hundreds of choices)

(y) (y) (y) Marvelous post, Captain!! Lots of good info for newbies...and the rest of us, as well.

Most of the electrical items that I bring are electronics (phones, cameras, etc.) that are already built to work world-wide. I travel with a handful of adapters so I can use both the 120 outlets and the 220 outlets in the cabin. The other item that I bring is a 4-port USB thingy so that I can charge four items on one outlet. Nothing I brings needs a converter so I don't even travel with one; besides which they are heavy. And, you don't want to use a converter on a device that doesn't need it--safety hazard.

Hair dryers are available on the ship and at most hotels--and curling irons may not be permitted to be used on some ships (so please ask before you start using one on board). Since I am the one who makes my husband plug in anything that might spark, I would rather use the equipment supplied by the ship or hotel so that I can fell assured that it will work without trying to electrocute me. But then again, I am a card carrying neurotic; it was issued at birth.;)

Disclaimer: Photos are for illustration only; I'm not recommending any specific brand

Agreed! Especially for those of us trying to read it on a computer screen. I'm sure your post was full of helpful information, but I didn't/couldn't read it.

Tried to read on computer wearing bifocals - forget it!

Roz

I plan to bring the 4-port USB thingy and am on vacation so will not be using a hairdryer :-) I have not traveled to Europe in over ten years and still trying to figure out the plug thing. I read Rick Steves article https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/electric-adapters-converters

So I think this would work https://www.amazon.com/PowerXology-International-Adapter-Universal-Converter/dp/B01BTJPAR8/ref=sr_1_2?s=audio-video-accessories&ie=UTF8&qid=1528587126&sr=1-2&keywords=travel+adapter+universal I would plug in my 4-port USB thingy into it and it should work?

(y) (y) (y) Marvelous post, Captain!! Lots of good info for newbies...and the rest of us, as well.

 

Most of the electrical items that I bring are electronics (phones, cameras, etc.) that are already built to work world-wide. I travel with a handful of adapters so I can use both the 120 outlets and the 220 outlets in the cabin. The other item that I bring is a 4-port USB thingy so that I can charge four items on one outlet. Nothing I brings needs a converter so I don't even travel with one; besides which they are heavy. And, you don't want to use a converter on a device that doesn't need it--safety hazard.

 

Hair dryers are available on the ship and at most hotels--and curling irons may not be permitted to be used on some ships (so please ask before you start using one on board). Since I am the one who makes my husband plug in anything that might spark, I would rather use the equipment supplied by the ship or hotel so that I can fell assured that it will work without trying to electrocute me. But then again, I am a card carrying neurotic; it was issued at birth.;)

 

Disclaimer: Photos are for illustration only; I'm not recommending any specific brand

We bring 1-2 MacBooks, 2 iPhones, and 1 camera battery charger. Not everything needs to be plugged in constantly, so basically we only need 1 adapter – as long as it is three-prong. [MacBook chargers have a three-prong plug, and while it isn't clear where the third prong goes on a ship – definitely not to 'ground'! – I prefer to maintain the deniability that I did all I could...] Thankfully Type F adapters work almost everywhere in Europe for this purpose and are widely available.

https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/

I plan to bring the 4-port USB thingy and am on vacation so will not be using a hairdryer :-) I have not traveled to Europe in over ten years and still trying to figure out the plug thing. I read Rick Steves article https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/electric-adapters-converters

 

So I think this would work https://www.amazon.com/PowerXology-International-Adapter-Universal-Converter/dp/B01BTJPAR8/ref=sr_1_2?s=audio-video-accessories&ie=UTF8&qid=1528587126&sr=1-2&keywords=travel+adapter+universal I would plug in my 4-port USB thingy into it and it should work?

(I just love it when I start losing words. I hope we don't all start calling them that.)

As for the adapter, having never used one like that before, I can't say. Maybe others can comment.

I plug in all the cameras and phones at bedtime, so I bring multiple adapters. I find it easier than trying to charge things one after another.

We are actually going on a Scenic cruise, but am just reading about river cruises in general.

As far as adapters go, when we travel to Europe each year from Australia we take one adapter and a power board. Not sure if they have the same name in the US, but a board with four or five places to plug things in. This means that we use the one adapter but can charge two phones and two ipads.

Have a great trip.