Views, pro and con, on the new Viking Mississippi River Cruises.

[janetcbl]

Would people who have been on the new Viking Mississippi River cruises please comment, pro and con, on their experiences. We are booked on this in 2023 and I have questions whether this cruise is up to the usual Viking cruise standards. Thanks!

[Jim Avery]

You are correct, it is very quiet.  Even over on the River Cruises forum.  Not a peep...🍸

[Azulann]

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/regions/north-america-river-cruises/

 

Here is a well written review. I found it on CC under Members Review: North America River cruise review.

[MrMarvin]

We sailed September 10-17 (St Louis to St Paul  w/pre & post stay)

On disembarkation day, we were scheduled for a Panoramic Twin Cities excursion w/hotel transfer (as part of the $699pp post stay package)

The tour was scheduled 8:30 to Noon and we were to tour St Paul & Minneapolis. During the tour, the guide announced that the driver was contacted by Viking and asked to return to the ship to transport other passengers so our tour would be cut short. We did not get to Minneapolis and were dropped at the hotel at 10:45am. The hotel was not expecting our group of 26 until Noon and the people at the Viking desk were in the midst of getting all the pre-stay people checked out and onto buses to go to the ship. (to add salt to the wound, 2 empty buses sat at the hotel for over an hour as all of the pre-stay hotel guests went to the boat on 1 bus)

 

While we were on the tour, the guide said he was in no rush as his afternoon tour had been canceled. This was our first "hint" that the optional tour we booked (and re-confirmed with the shore excursion manager on board on Thursday)  to the Minneapolis Institute of Art & Sculpture Garden 1:00-5:00 pm ($69 each originally paid from my checking account/which was refunded - then paid with Shipboard Credit) was canceled. The representatives at the Viking Desk at the Hotel St Paul had no information on an optional afternoon tour so we were told to assume it was canceled.

 

Viking charged this tour to our SBC so the amount we had left at the end of the cruise did not cover all the gratuities and my credit card was charged the balance due on gratuities. This  charge needs to be refunded because the SBC for the canceled tour would have covered the gratuities.

 

At no time during the cruise was the on-board information on the TV or the Viking Voyager app (on our phone) accurate or up-to date which made it nearly impossible to keep track of SBC or excursions (every single one was altered) 

 

Embarkation Day - Viking asked us to do comfort check-in on-line before we departed. Yet, everyone stood in the same LONG line to get to the check-in. Despite having our boarding pass in hand, photo uploaded, and credit card registered, the employee checking us in redid the entire process. 

 

We visited guest services at least 3x on embarkation day --

Explorer Suite 300 had no hairdryer, no batteries in the safe, vanity lights not working, heated floor not working, anti-fog mirrors not working, bathroom outlet was replaced 2x during our cruise. It was finally determined that there was an electrical issue in the bathroom that could not be fixed without ripping up our bathroom floor.

There was ONE small drawer in the bathroom for storage. There was no place in the shower to put shampoo, soap, etc....not a shelf, or cut-out, or even a caddy hanging around the shower head.

We had to request towels, do not disturb sign, room service menu, glasses for beverages (and when the glasses weren't changed, we had to request clean glasses daily)

The curtains in the LR area were not installed properly on the rods and it was almost impossible to open/close them in order to have a view out the front of the ship.

The table on our balcony was extremely wobbly (enough that a beverage was not safe on the table top)

 

The first time we tried room service for breakfast (bc we had an early excursion) we chose the 7:30-7:45am delivery. At 8am we called guest services (everything goes thru guest services - it's the only extension on the phone) and breakfast came shortly thereafter (with a few items missing)

 

The forward elevator was out of service except for day 5 when they took a part from one of the 2 mid-ship elevators to see if that's what was wrong with the forward elevator.

 

Whenever you ordered a cocktail from the beverage menu in the bar,  the bartenders (who were wonderful - there were only 2) had to check the ingredients to make sure they had everything to make the cocktail. No Aquavit, no lemonade, no diet coke after day 4, and most of the wines in the Silver Spirits package were unavailable. One evening, the Food/Beverage manager brought me the wine menu and told me he had personally marked the available wines. I made a selection and he returned to tell me, he made a mistake, it wasn't available.

 

For the most part, the staff is severely undertrained and they are struggling to do their best.

When we ate in the restaurant, at every dinner, something was forgotten (a soup, a side, etc...) 

When we ate upstairs at the Cafe (buffet) it was difficult to get their attention so we could get water, coffee, beverage....

Outside of the restaurant, there was an electronic board with the dinner menu posted. EVERY night, the menu we were given once seated did NOT match the posted menu on the board. So if we made our decision to eat in the restaurant (sit-down) based on the posted menu, instead of the upstairs buffet, we were often disappointed.

Friday night we went to dinner at 7pm (restaurant hours were 6-8:30) and they were already out of the soup.

 

Excursions/Time in Port:

Mon 9/12 - Burlington IA - port canceled/excursion refunded to SBC 

 

Tues 9/13 - Quad Cities (8am-12:30) our morning excursion was changed to 9am and reduced from 3.5 hours to 2.25 hours/our afternoon excursion was canceled and refunded to SBC 

 

Wed 9/14 Dubuque IA (8am-12:30) - our original all-day excursion was canceled ( refunded to SBC and  balance refunded to my checking account)

We made new selections that were charged to our SBC 

 

Thurs 9/15 - La Crosse WI (12:30-4:30pm) we were originally scheduled to be there in the morning, so our excursion was changed 3x from 9am, then 12:30, finally 1:00pm. The excursion was shortened from 3 hours to 2 hours.

*even though 4:30 was back on board time; they had a special performer from 3:30-4:15/ we missed it*

 

Fri 9/16 - Red Wing MN (1-7pm) we were originally scheduled to be there in the morning, so our morning excursion was canceled. The optional tour we had selected for the afternoon was changed from $99 pp to "included." The money was refunded to my checking account.

* they told us we would arrive at 1pm; but the boat docked at 9am - it was good that we could get off and explore on our own before our afternoon tour; but ultimately there was no need to cancel the morning excursions.*

 

Based on the the very short durations in port &constantly changing port times; it is clear that Viking isn't prepared to navigate the Mississippi.

 

We had 230 guests on our sailing (386 is total capacity). When they sail at full capacity, the common areas are going to be overcrowded. As it was, it was a challenge to find a seat in the Living Room for programs, in the Cafe for breakfast/lunch and one evening we had to wait for a dinner table (even a sharing table)

 

It is obvious there are "workers" on board; we saw them every day in the cafe eating breakfast and at dinner either upstairs at the buffet or in the restaurant.

 

Overrall, a very disappointing trip. Viking did not live up to their reputation.

In hindsight, I wish they had canceled us until the boat is finished and they figure out how to navigate the Mississippi. 

[MikeyB]

Sounds like a very "unique" cruise.

If you have not done it already, you need to contact Customer Relations and explain how dissatisfied you are.

[MrMarvin]

TY...Customer Relations was contacted immediately upon our return home. 

 

[CurlerRob]

2 hours ago, MrMarvin said:

TY...Customer Relations was contacted immediately upon our return home. 

 

Thank you for such a calm and professional review of what was clearly a highly disappointing experience - so nice to see this versus some of the reactions that people post on CC.

 

I would expect that providing Viking with your document and details will result in a satisfactory result - hopefully you'll be able to take the time to update us when you have some resolution. 🍺🥌

[LisaDee]

5 hours ago, MrMarvin said:

Embarkation Day - Viking asked us to do comfort check-in on-line before we departed. Yet, everyone stood in the same LONG line to get to the check-in. Despite having our boarding pass in hand, photo uploaded, and credit card registered, the employee checking us in redid the entire process. 

 

Your entire review is super disappointing to hear but the above reflects our experience on our Viking Ocean voyage last year.  We did all the online pre boarding requirements - inputting vaccine info, credit card, etc but at check in we had to sit in a room with the other embarking passengers (this was Feb 2022 when Omicron was a big concern and Viking was testing daily) and wait for our turn to approach the desk and then wait once more as the employees retyped in all our info.

[Marykatesmom]

Your review was a clear eyed and even keeled. Thank you for simply explaining your difficulties.

[Azulann]

Front page of our local paper today , St Paul Pioneer Press: Viking Mississippi has canceled all upper Miss cruises for the season, due to orders from Coast Guard.

Water level too low in various channels. They will still do the  Lower Miss. river cruises from New Orleans to Memphis the rest of the year.  

It turned out  Viking Miss River cruises was beset by various factors that was a disaster for most of the folks who had booked this first year of sailing, years ago. 

I hope we see the Viking ship in St. Paul come early summer of 2023, the ice should out by then and hopefully no major flooding of the river. 

[steamboats]

@MrMarvin thanks for your balanced review! Sounds like they really had a rough start and weren´t well prepared.

 

steamboats

[Lois R]

WOW......thanks for sharing your experience on here........if rating a cruise 1-10.......I would say this was a 1😮............so sorry you had so many negative things that seemed to happen every day!

[lagunalinda]

In March, 2020, Viking offered my husband and me the opportunity for priority booking being repeat guests on a Mississippi River Cruise on the new Viking Mississippi for October 15-29, 2022. We were very excited as we had been wanting to do this cruise and on a new Viking river boat, what could be better? We looked forward with great anticipation during the pandemic. In mid -September of this year, we received our luggage tags and cabin assignment; our long- awaited Mississippi River Cruise was almost here! Wrong!!! On September 26, we received a very standard, non-personable email from Richard Marnell, Executive VP for Viking Cruises, stating that some of the cabins on the Viking Mississippi had not been completed, and ours was one of them. Therefore, we would not be sailing! We were offered 100% refund of all monies paid for this cruise or 110% credit on any future Viking Cruise good through 2024. Much to our dissatisfaction all Viking Mississippi River cruises are completely booked through 2024, so the credit wouldn't be valid for this cruise. Why in the world would the boat be sailing when it wasn't completed??? Surely, Viking knew the cabins wouldn't be complete and be able to give us more than 2 weeks notice before the cruise! On September 27, we contacted our Viking agent and requested a full refund which we received in 20 business days. On September 30, I sent an email to Harold Seebacher, SVP of Viking Passenger Operations River Cruises, explaining our misfortune of our cruise being canceled and felt the whole situation could have been handled in a much more customer friendly manner. It doesn't appear that Viking really cares about or gives priority to repeat guests. This would have been our 4th cruise with Viking, and we have another cruise booked with them in 2023. To date, I have not received a response from Mr. Seebacher. Again, very poor customer service! In the meantime, we learned that our friends who were 1st time Viking guests were offered 125% credit when their river cruise was cancelled 2 years ago due to the pandemic, and passengers on the October 1 Viking Mississippi cruise received a full refund plus 25% on any future Viking cruise when the boat couldn't operate due to the low water level of the river. We fail to understand why we weren't offered 25% credit on a future cruise. I sent an email to Viking Guest Services on October 18 requesting a 25% credit and was immediately denied by Mariana Fiel. Why does Viking give 10% credit to some and 25% to others ???We will definitely not be booking any future cruises with Viking! There are other cruise companies that operate on the Mississippi and Great Lakes that have new ships, so we will take our business to them.

[mrredman]

Our November 19-26 Viking Mississippi River cruise just ended this morning and we can not wait to get home.  Just like the European Airline SABENA - such a bad experience, never again!

We were originally booked on the June 25th New Orleans to Memphis cruise, that was canceled 2 weeks before departure, because the ship and crew were not ready.  We were offered a 110% cruise credit, which applied to this Nov. 19-26 cruise. The only room available was Explorer Suite #362, which is in the very rear of the ship.  Once we arrived in Memphis to start our “cruise”, we were informed the river was closed in Rosedale, MS so Viking was going to bus us to Vicksburg, MS where we would board the ship.  This meant instead of us cruising 305 nautical miles, we would only cruise 150 nautical miles, or 50% of the river we signed up for.  We found the Explorer Suite to be very nice, u til the ship began to cruise on the evening of day 3.  Just as soon as the ship began to move, we experienced violently shaking of the entire suite.  We, along with our bed, the pocket door to the bathroom, lamp shades, ceiling and sides of the cabin shake from 10pm to 4am.  When we complained to Guest Service in the morning, they said they could do nothing about it.  They said the cruise was fully booked and we could not be moved.  This violent shaking occurred on 3 other occasions, as the ship traveled.  Always at night, from 3 to 6 hours at a time.  At breakfast this morning, our wait staff attendant said there were 332 passengers onboard, and not a fully booked cruise as stated by Guest Services.  Our suite cost us $16,800 or $2400 a day. We wrote Corporate Guest Services twice during our cruise and no one contacted us.  Hence, last night we filed a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  Booking the Explorer suites at the rear of the ship is fraudulent knowing this vibration issue has existed since the first cruises in September. Guest Services, the housekeeping staff and the wait staff all know of this problem.  So please, please, please, DO NOT book an Explorer suite at the rear of the ship. Other comments: we ordered room service for 8:30 am one morning and by 9:10am it had not arrived.  Both the Restaurant and Cafe closed at 9am, so we had to scramble to get breakfast that morning. In Vicksburg they arranged for shuttles every 30 minutes into and out of town.  We toured a Civil War and Coca-Cola museum from 1-2:15pm.  We walked over to the bus shuttle location at 2:20pm, anticipating getting on the 2:30pm shuttle.  It did not show.  Nor did the 3pm or 3:30pm shuttles.  Our group grew from 6 people to over 60 by the time a shuttle showed up at 3:40pm.  The driver could only take 50 passengers, so he left the remaining 10 to catch the next shuttle.  It was a very cool and windy day. 

[RobInMN]

The ship looks amazing, but having lived my entire life in Iowa and Minnesota within an hour (and currently a 10 minute walk) of the Mississippi River, I can not begin to fathom paying what Viking is charging for this cruise. It's much more (twice?) than what we paid to do a river cruise from Nuremberg to Luxembourg, including upgraded (but not DeltaOne) airfare both directions. 

[mrredman]

You are correct.  The price they charge leaves you to believe everything is going to high end, with excellent customer service and amenities.  That is not the case on this Viking Mississippi ship.  The food, service and cruising is no where near the quality of European river cruises.  Based on my experience this past week, please avoid being sucked into Viking’s marketing propaganda.  High price …. very poor value. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, mrredman said:

You are correct.  The price they charge leaves you to believe everything is going to high end, with excellent customer service and amenities.  That is not the case on this Viking Mississippi ship.  The food, service and cruising is no where near the quality of European river cruises.  Based on my experience this past week, please avoid being sucked into Viking’s marketing propaganda.  High price …. very poor value. 

So we have three or four Vikings:  Ocean (high price, high value); European River (medium price, medium value), and American River (high price, poor value).  And also Viking Expedition (high price, ??? value).

[chengkp75]

Having worked the Mississippi River from NOLA to Paducah, KY, I can say that the majority of the vibrations are due to the extreme low water levels.  With the propellers nearer to the bottom of the river, there is a significant "reflection wave" of the wake off the bottom that strikes the hull, causing the vibration.

 

As for cost, if anyone thought the US operations were going to be comparable in cost to the European river cruises, that was a forlorn hope from the beginning, due to the US flag requirements.

[pontac]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

that was a forlorn hope from the beginning, due to the US flag requirements.

 

Indeed, they had to have boats built in the US (so the steam engine didn't explode) and employ US crew.

 

All the same, this European that has been on the European rivers so many times intends repaying the compliment so many Americans make in coming on European river cruises by making the trans-Atlantic crossing and cruising US waters.

[mrredman]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Having worked the Mississippi River from NOLA to Paducah, KY, I can say that the majority of the vibrations are due to the extreme low water levels.  With the propellers nearer to the bottom of the river, there is a significant "reflection wave" of the wake off the bottom that strikes the hull, causing the vibration.

 

As for cost, if anyone thought the US operations were going to be comparable in cost to the European river cruises, that was a forlorn hope from the beginning, due to the US flag requirements.

So why is it that Viking continues to operate this cruise, fully knowing those passengers in the very rear of the ship will be unable to sleep while the ship is in motion?  We had 332 passengers on our trip and were not given the opportunity to move our room because Guest Services said the cruise was “fully booked”. Full capacity is 386, which means 27 other staterooms were open.  Unexcuseable!

[chengkp75]

27 minutes ago, mrredman said:

So why is it that Viking continues to operate this cruise, fully knowing those passengers in the very rear of the ship will be unable to sleep while the ship is in motion?  We had 332 passengers on our trip and were not given the opportunity to move our room because Guest Services said the cruise was “fully booked”. Full capacity is 386, which means 27 other staterooms were open.  Unexcuseable!

I don't comment on Guest Relations problems, as this is not in my wheelhouse.

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I don't comment on Guest Relations problems, as this is not in my wheelhouse.

They permit you “upstairs?” 😉🙄

[TMLAalum]

1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

They permit you “upstairs?” 😉🙄

Wouldn’t surprise me if chengkp75 was captaining! Go Mariners!

[gnome12]

4 hours ago, mrredman said:

We had 332 passengers on our trip and were not given the opportunity to move our room because Guest Services said the cruise was “fully booked”. Full capacity is 386, which means 27 other staterooms were open.  Unexcuseable!

Not every cabin has 2 passengers in it. 

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

They permit you “upstairs?” 😉🙄

When I was Staff Chief, my responsibility was everything outside the engine room, so I spent nearly all my time in the hotel.