Cruise Ship Reviews : Viking River Reviews
kcdale saw things this way:
Clearly the best cruise we have ever experienced. Looking forward to our next., November 26, 2013
Reviewer: kcdale
Pros: Ship, staff and itinerary--best in the business.
Cons: Itinerary WE picked was in the winter. Too cold but great anyway.
Departure port: Budapest
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Been on other cruises but this is clearly the best. Ship is amazing and we are planning a trip for 2014 and this time with an extension at the end. Viking service is beyond compare and we are excited to join them again.
johnnyboy1 saw things this way:
Very Disappointing!...not living up to the hype!, April 16, 2013
Reviewer: johnnyboy1
Pros: I wish I could think of one.
Cons: Soooo many! See review.
Date of cruise: December 8, 2012
Departure port: Amsterdam to Budapest
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 120, 121
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
I wanted to try a nice Christmas River Cruise to enjoy the holiday with my mom and sister. I did search various River Cruise Lines but only Viking had Holiday Markets from Amsterdam to Budapest. They claim to cater to the American market. I looked at the rooms on the Idun and see they are all the same size. I booked two rooms on the lower level. My mom does have trouble with stairs but it clearly states there is an elevator on board. I arrive at the ship to find it sparsely decorated for the holidays. I was told they have a contract and all ships are decorated the same by an outside contractor. Note: We pulled next to another Viking ship in Passau that was decorated to the gills! Very Christmasy! You would never think they were part of the same company. There was very little holiday anything, music, food, games. Well, the elevator does not go to the bottom level. The Captain offered to upgrade us for an additional $1,700, then $600. After the sixth day and my mom stuck in her room most of the time, they put her in an empty cabin on the main deck. The elevator then broke down so she still had to climb stairs to get to the bar/lounge/entertainment room. Cosmetically there were numerous cracks, broken surfaces, and stains. This ship is less than a year old! The ice dispenser on the bottom floor never worked and was never fixed. Food was average to poor. If you asked for something aside from what was served the answer was no. The chef came out for praise mostly. We had food that was cold, tough, or not edible. Food is only available at set times. If you want something outside of that you are on your own. The self serve coffee machine was available all the time but it wasn't very good. The internet service was provided by a company from Spain. It was spotty at best and wanted to load in Spanish always. The room itself is nicely decorated but tiny. It was always cold and noisy from banging into the 80+ locks on the river. Guided tours are provided but some are at additional cost. The main bartender was rude when I asked for a bar menu. He was annoyed that I couldn't just order something. This was the most disappointing holiday I've experienced on a ship. It never felt like Christmas on the ship. The markets themselves were fine but most of our time is on the ship. I need to add the the top deck was closed for most the the trip. This is during the time going through the locks. The only space available then is a small area in the front of the ship. The lounge furniture is very crowded and uncomfortable. I noticed many other ship companies on this cruise and they looked much nicer at least from the outside. I would not recommend this trip! It is does not provide a good value for the money.
Viking Idun reviews
Average customer rating:
3 / 5
3 / 5Average Rating based on 2 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
3.00
3.50
2.50
2.00
3.00
3.00
1.00
5.00
4.00
3.50
2.50
2.00
3.00
3.00
1.00
5.00
4.00
kcdale saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
5
4
3
5
5
5
5
5
4
3
5
5
5
5
Clearly the best cruise we have ever experienced. Looking forward to our next., November 26, 2013
Reviewer: kcdale
Pros: Ship, staff and itinerary--best in the business.
Cons: Itinerary WE picked was in the winter. Too cold but great anyway.
Departure port: Budapest
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Been on other cruises but this is clearly the best. Ship is amazing and we are planning a trip for 2014 and this time with an extension at the end. Viking service is beyond compare and we are excited to join them again.
johnnyboy1 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
3
Very Disappointing!...not living up to the hype!, April 16, 2013
Reviewer: johnnyboy1
Pros: I wish I could think of one.
Cons: Soooo many! See review.
Date of cruise: December 8, 2012
Departure port: Amsterdam to Budapest
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 120, 121
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
I wanted to try a nice Christmas River Cruise to enjoy the holiday with my mom and sister. I did search various River Cruise Lines but only Viking had Holiday Markets from Amsterdam to Budapest. They claim to cater to the American market. I looked at the rooms on the Idun and see they are all the same size. I booked two rooms on the lower level. My mom does have trouble with stairs but it clearly states there is an elevator on board. I arrive at the ship to find it sparsely decorated for the holidays. I was told they have a contract and all ships are decorated the same by an outside contractor. Note: We pulled next to another Viking ship in Passau that was decorated to the gills! Very Christmasy! You would never think they were part of the same company. There was very little holiday anything, music, food, games. Well, the elevator does not go to the bottom level. The Captain offered to upgrade us for an additional $1,700, then $600. After the sixth day and my mom stuck in her room most of the time, they put her in an empty cabin on the main deck. The elevator then broke down so she still had to climb stairs to get to the bar/lounge/entertainment room. Cosmetically there were numerous cracks, broken surfaces, and stains. This ship is less than a year old! The ice dispenser on the bottom floor never worked and was never fixed. Food was average to poor. If you asked for something aside from what was served the answer was no. The chef came out for praise mostly. We had food that was cold, tough, or not edible. Food is only available at set times. If you want something outside of that you are on your own. The self serve coffee machine was available all the time but it wasn't very good. The internet service was provided by a company from Spain. It was spotty at best and wanted to load in Spanish always. The room itself is nicely decorated but tiny. It was always cold and noisy from banging into the 80+ locks on the river. Guided tours are provided but some are at additional cost. The main bartender was rude when I asked for a bar menu. He was annoyed that I couldn't just order something. This was the most disappointing holiday I've experienced on a ship. It never felt like Christmas on the ship. The markets themselves were fine but most of our time is on the ship. I need to add the the top deck was closed for most the the trip. This is during the time going through the locks. The only space available then is a small area in the front of the ship. The lounge furniture is very crowded and uncomfortable. I noticed many other ship companies on this cruise and they looked much nicer at least from the outside. I would not recommend this trip! It is does not provide a good value for the money.
