"Viking Europe" Tour from Amsterdam - May 15th 2011

[RoniRib]

We will be taking our first river cruise in mid May from Amsterdam. Having just sailed on the Oasis and Allure we know there will be vast differences but we truly have no idea about weather, the ship or anything. This will truly be an adventure for us.

If anyone has traveled on this ship (are they really big enough to be called a ship??) :D and done this cruise I would really love to hear from you so we know what to expect.

Many thanks.

[brownblonde]

We will be taking our first river cruise in mid May from Amsterdam. Having just sailed on the Oasis and Allure we know there will be vast differences but we truly have no idea about weather, the ship or anything. This will truly be an adventure for us.

If anyone has traveled on this ship (are they really big enough to be called a ship??) :D and done this cruise I would really love to hear from you so we know what to expect.

Many thanks.

We have done Viking in Europe and it was our first riverboat cruise at the time. It is different then the ocean cruises, but enjoyable for a change. They are

mnuch smaller as you must know. Much more laid back.On a river boat this pass summer the captain said you call it a ship. You can put a boat on a ship but you can't put a ship on a boat

Good luck with your choice

[Talisker92]

We sailed from Budapest to Amsterdam this past summer. Our trip story and pictures is on our website http://www.stevekathytravels.com

For a different slant on a different ship, go to http://www.thepreismans.com

[GrannyLala]

We did our first river cruise in 2008, what a difference! It was the most relaxing vacation ever!!! We have done several ocean cruises, and I think that river cruising is the way to go! So many less people, no formal nights, excursions included, and they encourage you to bring local beer & wine on board to consume! Enjoy your first experience, and look forward to many more. We are going on the Viking Sun - Treasures of the Rhine - June 26.

[RoniRib]

We sailed from Budapest to Amsterdam this past summer. Our trip story and pictures is on our website www.stevekathytravels.com

For a different slant on a different ship, go to www.thepreismans.com

 

I checked out your great stories and photos about the trip. Now I am even more excited to go. You seem to have had a guidebook or something that gave you information about the route. As I do a blog when I travel, I have been searching for one that may cover that region but have not found anything close. Do you have any suggestions? We are doing the cruise but in the reverse - from A to B...

[Talisker92]

I bought a book called "Castles along the Rhine" in Germany. Also Vantage had a really neat map like an AAA triptik covering the area. Plus I had to google s few things

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We're on our first River Cruise in May. I am going to travel as light as possible. When you disembark, how early do they take you off the ship and do you leave your luggage outside your door like you do on an Ocean liner?

[gaelsail]

We're on our first River Cruise in May. I am going to travel as light as possible. When you disembark, how early do they take you off the ship and do you leave your luggage outside your door like you do on an Ocean liner?

When we disembarked in Amsterdam we were all given times to suit our onward transport. Luggage was left outside the cabin door but again the times were staggered according to onward transport and the luggage was collected promptly to be taken to the main reception area.

[Paulinda]

Like SJGOCH said, you can probably pick up one of those 'triptik' maps on board that shows the towns and castles you pass with some interesting information about each. It's nice to have for the cruise from Koblenz to Rudesheim as you sit on deck watching the scenery go by. I recall buying one on board for 9 euro. I also recall seeing them at some of the klitzy souviener shops found in towns for 5 Euro. :) Exactly the same map. Buy one in Koln or Koblenz.

[H2Otstr]

I recall buying one on board for 9 euro. I also recall seeing them at some of the klitzy souvenir shops found in towns for 5 Euro. :) Exactly the same map. Buy one in Koln or Koblenz.

 

 

I agree; that's what I did. They were almost double the price on the river boat. Almost all the gift shops in the towns were selling them. Nice souvenir.

[scapel]

We will be taking our first river cruise in mid May from Amsterdam. Having just sailed on the Oasis and Allure we know there will be vast differences but we truly have no idea about weather, the ship or anything. This will truly be an adventure for us.

If anyone has traveled on this ship (are they really big enough to be called a ship??) :D and done this cruise I would really love to hear from you so we know what to expect.

Many thanks.

 

Haven't been on that ship, but thought I would post a video if it will allow me to put the link. Get you in the mood for River Cruising.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1590146113265

 

 

For the tours in the cities, they furnished you an ear set FM transmitter receiver so you could hear the guide very well.

 

The first part of the Great Journey was Lucerne,and Zermatt two nights each and then on to the Rhine at Basel.

[shoshona2]

Hi Joe,

I really enjoyed viewing your video of your Rhine Cruise with my morning cup of coffee. Recognized some of those castles from our Rhine Cruise last summer.

 

Sheila

[scapel]

Hi Joe,

I really enjoyed viewing your video of your Rhine Cruise with my morning cup of coffee. Recognized some of those castles from our Rhine Cruise last summer.

 

Sheila

 

Sheila,

Glad you enjoyed them. They had to be cut short because of length contstraints on the web site. Had pictures of some wonderful people on that trip that I removed from the basic video. If I did another Rhine I would use Rudy Scheirer's boats- AMA Waterways.

[shoshona2]

Hi again Joe,

 

We will be using Rudy's new boat the AMA Katarina next September for Russia. We've been hearing good things about AMA.

 

Sheila

[scapel]

Hi again Joe,

 

We will be using Rudy's new boat the AMA Katarina next September for Russia. We've been hearing good things about AMA.

 

Sheila

 

Wonderful,

We have Germany in March and Silver Whisper in May. I wonder if I could get the wife to go for Sept. Where would I go to find information on this cruise?

[shoshona2]

Hi Joe,

 

Go to http://www.AMAWaterways.com and hit on Russian. It is practically sold out and we have about 12 of us on Cruise Critic's Roll Call.

 

Sheila

[shoshona2]

We're on the September 7th 2011 -- St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise.

 

Sheila

[scapel]

Hi Joe,

 

Go to http://www.AMAWaterways.com and hit on Russian. It is practically sold out and we have about 12 of us on Cruise Critic's Roll Call.

 

Sheila

 

Looks like a nice cruise. The last time we were in St. Petersburg we bought separate Russian Visas and came out better with private bookings than the ships tours and we were only there one day and one night. Our guide droped us off after the day tour and picked us up for the Folkloric show.

Are you sailing out of Moscow or St.Petersburg? Looks like about $5000/p standard. One August USA Departure date is sold out.

Looks like a fine trip. I would hope you would get to Tsarko Selo & Catherine's Palace.

[shoshona2]

Hi Joe,

 

We will be starting in St. Petersburg. We were there many years ago when the ships first started going there and saw long lines for food. We spent a very interesting day using the ship's visa and their shore excursions. We went back in 2003 and spent two days with Red October seeing all the sights we could do in two days. We always wanted to visit Moscow -- thus the river cruise seemed like a good idea. We will have our own visa this time and will try to see as much of the sights we missed before. We've already been to Catherine's Palace and Peterof. We even had lunch with a Russian family. We had wonderful tours there and got into the Palaces before most of the other tour groups did. The two sailings which are sold out are apparently where the ship is being chartered since they have appeared "sold out" since the very beginning on the website.

 

Sheila

[scapel]

Sheila,

Yes I do remember slipping into the Hermitage through a side door. The guide and us and our travelling couple Vance & Beryl. There was a big line out front.

Worth the private tour. I got my visas from the Russian Embassy in New York. I have noticed that there is an online service that one can use. I was wondering if anyone had used that service and if it was legit and reliable. I was thinking of using it for our next trip, but we will be in Petropavlovsk, Russian Federation for only a few hours so probably not worth it. We will use the ship group visa here.

For more than one day, you will come out much better with your own visas since you can book private tours and they will be cheap enough to save you money even with the cost of the visas figured in. I'm sure you know that though.

Joe

[shoshona2]

Hi Joe,

 

We have been using ZVS for our visas for years now. AMA uses them as does Tauck Tours. We have never had a problem and don't expect to with them. When we were in Sochi on a Black Sea Cruise with Oceania, we used the ship's visa since we couldn't find anyone to give us a private tour. We were on one of the first cruises to stop in Sochi and wanted to see Stalin's dacha. Last trip, we had to get extra pages for our passports which will expire in 2012. The government now charges for those extra pages.

 

Sheila

[scapel]

Sheila,

I hate to keep using this thread for private info and promise this is the last, but what price did you pay for the visas.

I had your e-mail at one time but have lost it.

[shoshona2]

Hi Joe,

I found yours. Check your email for a reply from me.

 

Sheila M.

[jane1244]

loved your photos, descriptions and more! also enjoyed your friends pictures.... we're booked on an Amsterdam to Budapest trip in May, 2012.... the pictures made me all the more anxious to go!!!