Viking 2 for 1 deals - how often? Other river cruise deals better?

[MyDogRudy]

Looking at a river cruise for 2019 and the 2 for 1 deal with the cheap air through Viking is a great price. It expires at the end of January (next week) but we can't book anything this early due to my sister's 2019 schedule being a bit up in the air until later this year. I am a bit worried this deal only comes around once a year at this time and it would be too late to book a 2019 Romantic Rhine for the date we need in the category we want if we have to wait another year for the same deal.

 

I am VERY new to looking into river cruises (have only seriously considered it over the past month), so I am unfamiliar with the trends of the sales. Can anyone help shed some light on how often this deal comes around? Or, at the very least, will the price actually double once the deal is over? If so, then Viking would seem to be way more expensive than other river lines. We are also looking at AMA and Avalon, and regardless we need to book during the best deal as this vacation is nearly double the cost of any other vacation we have ever taken as it is. We're splurging due to my parents celebrating their 50 year anniversary and are very excited to do this since we have limited vacation funds (this will be my first time even flying across the ocean to finally see countries other than Canada, Mexico, Caribbean islands and I will be 47/48 years old when we take this trip).

 

Any information on how to get the best bang for your buck when planning a Rhine River cruise while still maintaining a nice experience would be greatly appreciated. I have been reading through the river cruise threads like crazy, but there are a lot fewer posts here than for ocean cruises, so I am soliciting further specific information with a new thread. Thank you so much - love the resource of Cruise Critic as it has helped immensely with our last three or four cruises.

[philw1776]

Relax, Viking is ALWAYS 2 for 1

 

What might vary is special deals on airfare...sometimes.

Note that cruise prices vary on dates.

If cost is paramount, book the cheapest cabin. No veranda and maybe a small window but everything else outside your room is the same as the best cabin passengers'.

If it's Rhine I recommend Rhine Getaway starting in Amsterdam where you stay an extra night before in Amsterdam. You'll be relaxed and have time to tour the city/museums that the other passengers miss. Basel is meh in my view. We did a post cruise stay after Viking reached Basel in beautiful Lucerne.

 

Try all the good cruise lines for your best deal. You won't be disappointed.

Edited January 27, 2018 by philw1776

[laverendrye]

Looking at a river cruise for 2019 and the 2 for 1 deal with the cheap air through Viking is a great price. It expires at the end of January (next week) but we can't book anything this early due to my sister's 2019 schedule being a bit up in the air until later this year. I am a bit worried this deal only comes around once a year at this time and it would be too late to book a 2019 Romantic Rhine for the date we need in the category we want if we have to wait another year for the same deal.

 

 

 

I am VERY new to looking into river cruises (have only seriously considered it over the past month), so I am unfamiliar with the trends of the sales. Can anyone help shed some light on how often this deal comes around? Or, at the very least, will the price actually double once the deal is over? If so, then Viking would seem to be way more expensive than other river lines. We are also looking at AMA and Avalon, and regardless we need to book during the best deal as this vacation is nearly double the cost of any other vacation we have ever taken as it is. We're splurging due to my parents celebrating their 50 year anniversary and are very excited to do this since we have limited vacation funds (this will be my first time even flying across the ocean to finally see countries other than Canada, Mexico, Caribbean islands and I will be 47/48 years old when we take this trip).

 

 

 

Any information on how to get the best bang for your buck when planning a Rhine River cruise while still maintaining a nice experience would be greatly appreciated. I have been reading through the river cruise threads like crazy, but there are a lot fewer posts here than for ocean cruises, so I am soliciting further specific information with a new thread. Thank you so much - love the resource of Cruise Critic as it has helped immensely with our last three or four cruises.

 

 

 

Viking’s 2 for 1 deal is the regular price and it is always available. One drawback with Viking is that unless you can negotiate otherwise the full price is due shortly after booking no matter how far in advance you book. Most other lines require a small deposit on booking with the balance due 90 days before the cruise.

 

 

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[Daisi]

While I can't speak about Viking (other than frequently seeing the 2 for 1 discount while I was researching my trip) or AMA, I can tell you what I've experienced with Avalon. We wanted a certain cabin lay out so I booked our trip the day the prices for 2018 came online. My TA suggested talking to Avalon about air ( but not anything definite), when we booked. I watched the prices throughout the year, and each time Avalon had a sale on, I put down a little more $, so even thought the price increased back after the sales, my invoice reflects the cost as per the last sale. We just booked our air, and to the shock of both my TA & myself, Avalon beat both her wholesaler and the direct airline site. I just checked out flights on Hipmunk, and they even beat the lowest cost there for competitive airlines. Now to be honest, we did book a "one stop" flight, and I had certain airports I wanted to avoid, so it did limit our selection.

 

The main things I learned while doing my research is to really make sure you get what you need....if all inclusive is important, then make sure you spend the extra on the lines that carry it, as charges can be a surprise upon check out. Also, from what I hear, most of your time will be spent in the public areas, and the views are on both sides of the river, so don't splurge (unless you really want to) on a balcony unless you really want to.

 

Be prepared for everything to be wrong (high/low water, rain, etc) and then you are happy when things are right.

[gnome12]

Get yourself on everyone's email lists and you will get notice of promotions all the time. That said, remember that you are looking for 3 (or more) cabins and that gives you less flexibility.

 

Generally, on river cruises the cheapest and most expensive cabins go first.

 

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[Wayfairers]

I haven’t done a river cruise yet, but have checked them many times. Seemed to me that Viking was always having a 2 for 1 sale....glad to get confirmation that is always the case.

 

 

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[Mark_T]

I haven’t done a river cruise yet, but have checked them many times. Seemed to me that Viking was always having a 2 for 1 sale....glad to get confirmation that is always the case.

 

Also since a few people have misunderstood, the quoted prices are still per person, you don't get to pay for only one of you :)

[notamermaid]

MyDogRudy,

 

the Viking Rhine Getaway that philw1776 has mentioned is a tried and tested product, literally has been enjoyed by thousands in the past. You have probably noticed that many other cruise lines offer Basel to Amsterdam or vice versa as well and it is one of the most popular routes in Europe. If you enjoy castles (seeing not visiting, that is usually only one or two on that itinerary) this is the best route. Most companies stop at the same ports. To check this make a kind of list, if there is a particular place you do not want to miss. What is and is not included (alcohol, certain excursions) can make a difference in price, but what most likely - apart from air fare - will make a difference in your costs is the cabin. As has been pointed out by previous posters a balcony is not something you have to have as you spent so much time off the boat, in the lounge or on the sundeck.

 

Companies that do not spring to mind immediately for the US are CroisiEurope (French) and Arosa (German). Both also sail the Rhine route on dates that they specifically advertise on the North-American market. Those itineraries are then bilingual. CroisiEurope also has itineraries starting in Strasbourg rather than Basel (they are based in Strasbourg). This is Arosa: https://www.a-rosa.de/en/river-cruises/index.html I seem to remember that they have an agent in the USA and a different website. My google settings do not show me that site as I am based in Germany.

 

Have fun planning.

 

notamermaid

[MyDogRudy]

Thank you all so much for the quick responses on the 2 for 1 Viking sale, I feel I can relax a bit now. And thank you for the suggestion of the Rhine Getaway as well. I still like to book as soon as possible so I can start planning all the rest of the details for ports and pre and/or post cruise stays.

 

I definitely at the very least want to arrive a day prior to embarkation so we can relax a bit and wipe off some of the jetlag so we don't miss anything once we are on the boat. I feel so much better knowing we do have a little time to still get a decent price and OK cabins. We only need two rooms for my parents and then my sister and I sharing a room (leaving the husbands home for this trip as they are both a bit picky and would not enjoy the trip as much for the cost). I know my parents will want the French balcony for sure, I am still undecided on the standard or French balcony. I get a bit claustrophobic, so will probably want the big window, but we'll see,

 

Super excited about this - most weekends I have to spend a couple of hours here checking for more info and looking at pictures and reviews from others' great journeys. Thank you all so much for your advice!!

[Cary Cruiser]

Thank you all so much for the quick responses on the 2 for 1 Viking sale, I feel I can relax a bit now. And thank you for the suggestion of the Rhine Getaway as well. I still like to book as soon as possible so I can start planning all the rest of the details for ports and pre and/or post cruise stays.

 

I definitely at the very least want to arrive a day prior to embarkation so we can relax a bit and wipe off some of the jetlag so we don't miss anything once we are on the boat. I feel so much better knowing we do have a little time to still get a decent price and OK cabins. We only need two rooms for my parents and then my sister and I sharing a room (leaving the husbands home for this trip as they are both a bit picky and would not enjoy the trip as much for the cost). I know my parents will want the French balcony for sure, I am still undecided on the standard or French balcony. I get a bit claustrophobic, so will probably want the big window, but we'll see,

 

Super excited about this - most weekends I have to spend a couple of hours here checking for more info and looking at pictures and reviews from others' great journeys. Thank you all so much for your advice!!

 

My wife and I had a French Balcony on our Romantic Danube cruise and we thought it was well worth the money. We woke up the morning we arrived in Budapest, and when my wife opened the drapes there was the Hungarian Parliament building right in front of our eyes. I've never seen my wife get so excited about seeing a building before - worth every penny.

[Daisi]

Don't forget to check out the room size. River boats are limited by the width of the locks, and there is one company that cut room off a french balcony in order that the balcony rooms have a bit more room. I understand the reasoning, as it would be a bit upsetting paying for the balcony room thinking you were getting the larger room where the french balcony is actually larger due to not losing the space for the balcony.

[southerngent53]

We just booked a July 2018 Rhine cruise with Viking. The only difference in price between now and back in September was the airfare. Reduced from $695 to $396 per person.