River Cruises - All Cruise Reviews

This was our third cruise with Viking in as many years.  It was by far our worst.  The customer service and special touches have all but disappeared and even if you ask for help or voice a complaint, don't expect someone to step up and help you out with it.  Flights delayed or cancelled:  sorry, you are going to have to go to the airline and figure it out yourself.  Then what was the point of booking through and having insurance?  Especially when they tell you "don't worry, your cruise really doesn't leave till the next day so you won't miss it, you will only miss the first day of your vacation".  Yeah, but we signed up and paid for a 10 day trip and not a 9 day trip and we also signed up for insurance to help us with things like "cancelled or delayed flights".  It should not have been solely up to me to make sure that the four of us travelling on this trip got new seats on a flight that was delayed by four hours so that we would not have made our connections -- you are the travel agents that booked our travel -- you are the ones that gladly took our money for travel insurance -- you are the ones that "experts" in the travel industry.  We should not have had to fend for ourselves or have been told that missing a day of our vacation or spending the night in an airport wasn't a "big deal".  

The Viking Cruiseline has changed too.  What happened to the robes in the rooms, the moist towels/snacks/drinks upon return from an excursion, the blankets on the upper deck during cooler days, the binoculars that they used to hand out during day cruising, the towel animals on the beds, the occasional complementary drinks, the quality of the personal toiletries, even the number of hangers in your closet has gone down???  Here is a quick example of the customer service from the Food and Beverage Director, Mr Cruz:  party of 8 whom traveled together wanting to sit together on the last night.  normal table was taken -- no reservations which I get -- would not allow two more seats to be added to a 6 top table so we were told to move upstairs and that "things would be taken care of" -- we get upstairs and the only offering was seafood -- we had one in our party that was allergic to shrimp and didn't care for salmon -- was again told that "things would be taken care of" -- waitress comes back with 4 small pieces of lamb on a plate-nothing else-just 4 small pieces of lamb saying "this is all I could get from the kitchen".  what happened to all the other food that was being served directly below us about 10 stairs away?  Didn't they make enough of the main course and the other options to feed everyone?  We were literally the only ones upstairs.  What happened to Mr Cruz's word that "things will be taken care of"?  When Mr. Cruz did finally come back around I asked him why there was only seafood options on the upstairs menu.  He told me "there are other options".  I asked him to find me one on the menu.  He could not find anything that didn't have seafood as a part of it.  Instead of admitting fault Mr Cruz began to explain that food downstairs couldn't be served upstairs and that the downstairs was moving toward the desert course and that we could not be seated down there and the food could not be brought upstairs.  This was a totally different story than we were told by him when we were all looking for seats downstairs.  If you can bring up four small pieces of lamb, why couldn't you bring up more from the main dining room menu when the kitchen is directly below and we are the only ones there?  Rules vs customer service?  Especially when you suggested that you would work it out for us.  

There were lots of things missing from this cruise that we didn't have in the past.  Even the friendliness of the cruise directors.  A couple of saving graces from a staffing perspective were the room attendant, the bartender and Michael.  

Had several days where there were little or no localized food and beverage options.  We were in some of the greatest beer making areas of the world with only one thing to pick from and it was the same for almost all of the trip.  Some days didn't feature a single localized meal on the menu -- app, main or dessert.  Very depressing.  

On the cruise side, the newly offered e-bike was an amazing new adventure that we greatly appreciated.  

If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't.  I was incredibly disappointed by the insurance, the assistance, the staff and the amenities from the first cruise to this one and by a cruiseline that claims to be the best at customer service and the personal touches that make it #1.

Good to very good overall...would have preferred more actual sailing...some days sailed in AM and too much land tour/tours squeezed in, that stretched into late PM.  Result was rushed dinner to participate in PM tour.  Should try to expand scope of land tours--I have seen enough churches and castles to last 3 lifetimes! Times posted for meals were strictly adhered to.  Food was usually cleared by closing time--no latitude. However quality of food was good to very good.  All personnel always had a smile on their face and were quick w/ a cheerful greeting throughout the cruise...

Our early season cruise was accompanied by rain, and snow and wind!  However, through luck or intervention all of our shore tours went off successfully and well.

Being confined Indoors was even ok. The cheerful attention of the crew, well planned activities and the company of new friends made every day a good time.  

The excursions were first class.  The ship was cozy.  The history and culture of the areas travelled were highlighted perfectly.  The staff on the ship were delightful.

We enjoyed all aspects of the cruise.  Unfortunately, the weather was very cold and wet which made using the outdoor portions of the ship unusable. Toilet tissue was very rough. The food, although adequate, was disappointing and not equal to our experience on other cruises. 

I would definitely recommend this cruise to anyone looking to have an exciting vacation where you can unpack once and visit four countries hassle free. You also enjoy excellent food and outstanding service. The excursion met all my expectations. I'm looking forward to booking my next Viking cruise. 

The entire experience AFTER the air travel portion was great. Our cruise manager was just that. Nicola was not the typical "entertainer" that you get on an ocean cruise. He truly manages the whole experience and shows up during many of the excursions to verify all is going well.

The food was great and the staff was wonderful.

Ours was a wine cruise and thus was busy all the time between the normal excursions and the tastings added in.

The cabins on the third deck are subject to noise from the sun deck/walking-jogging path. Even though the cruise paper work said it should not be used between 10 pm and 8 am.

You will meet a few new friends as with only 170 passengers maximum you will have the chance to meet almost all your fellow travelers. 

Before booking any river cruise check the age of the ship. AMA Stella was new in 2016. We saw lots of other ships from other lines that were much older and a few that just looked warn out.

RE: "After the air travel" comment above. We were booked on British Air for most of the trip. Their "business" section is NOT the same as business on Delta, KLM or American. Much smaller seats, same higher cost. Get your travel agent to show you the seats BEFORE you pay extra for this when you will be on British Air. It was not worth the cost to me.

Excursions were good. The foods was too salty, not good for seniors. Remember most of the travelers are seniors.  The story about lost and found was good.  On the ship, it will be nice to have Bingo or other group games so that all the travelers can have chances to interact with each other.  

What's the difference between a Dyke and a Dam?  Now I know.  How does Holland relate to the Netherlands? Now I know.  Is Belgium part of Flanders or vice versa? Now I know.  Beautiful Tulips, Diamonds, Ancient Castles and centers with ridiculously small cobblestone streets. Living below sea level is not for me despite the Delta works, flood prevention system, but a great adventure.

We had a wonderful time on our Mekong River cruise, and AMA Waterways was just great.    We had taken a Viking last year to China and this one was even better than Viking.    We enjoyed the luxury but at the same time, the destinations were very interesting.    The crew was very responsive, warm, and greeting all the time.   This trip can be a bit tiring if you are not prepared for that.    There are a lot of things to see and you need to be able to do a lot of walking, and climbing if you want to experience it the most.    We loved it, and we met some very memorable friends on this trip that we will keep in touch with forever.   Overall, unless you have an aversion to seeing Vietnam, this is a beautiful place, and the people are very welcoming.   64% of the population is 35 years or younger, and they do not like their government either.   Hopefully one day they will be more free, but they are making great strides in their well being.    Cambodia was also very interesting, and they are having more issues of rebuilding but are also improving.  Just a great trip!

The staff was outstanding with great people skills.  We were upgraded to a French balcony, which we loved.  We think we liked it better than either a full balcony, as we could lie on the bed and have the pocket glass wall door totally open, breeze blowing into the room, and watch the scenery.

The excursions were extremely well organized and without hassle.  There were more options that we wanted than we were able to take.  Generally, the cruise guides were outstanding.  It was amazing that there was no additional charges for the excursions.

I loved that we were not "nickel and dimed" to death on the cruise.  There was never a mention of money until the end of the cruise, concerning tips.  This has not been our experience on other cruise lines!  And we have cruised about 20 times.!

There could have been a little improvement with the special gluten free diet I had alluded to in my customer profile.  It was very confusing the first 2 days of the cruise, although the maître de was trying his hardest.  The kitchen just didn't seem prepared and, sorry to say, had the absolute worst gluten free bread that I have ever tasted.  Products such as Schwar dinner rolls (European), Pamela's Pastry Flour or Pancake Mix, Gluten Free Bisquick, Udi's French Bread and French Rolls and Breads, Glutino English Muffins are available and would have probably saved the bakers some grief.  As the trip progressed, the kitchen rose to the occasion, but I got the impression that it was not easy for them.

I have to say, that my massage fees were waived because of the gluten free problems the first two days, which was very thoughtful.  The Ama baseball hat in the room and scarf were also very thoughtful.

The entertainment was surprisingly good every night.  The cruise manager and maître de were fabulous and always available.

Entry and exit of the ship was smooth and flawless--I had to pinch myself that it was so easy, after waiting in long long boarding and exiting lines on other cruise ships.

Great cruise!  Would go on Ama again.

Amawaterways and their guides and staff pulled off a great Cambodia and Vietnam experience.  I signed up for the cruise plus pre and post tours.  Ship, hotels, tours,  and guides were all very good.  The Halong Bay experience was magical.  The fellow travelers were very agreeable and made the trip all the more fun.

On the "pre-cruise program", Ha Long Bay in Vietnam was a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. The Ship on which we were supposed to visit the bay and spend the night at sea "broke down" and we went on the excursion on another, much more "basic" ship. By the evening we were transferred back to the "original ship" to spend the night DOCKED IN THE PORT !!

the trip over all was good but there were lots of good parts and not so good.  Starting out positive, the crew and route was great.  The people were very friendly and accommodating.  The trip down the Rhine river was as beautiful as advertised.  We ran in to an issue with the river being low and had to change ships as the ship could not pass.  The crew handled it exceptional.  

Now for the areas that could use "tweaking".  With the price of the cruise the food and what the served could use some work.  During the German day everything was Buffet and it took 20 minutes to get food through one line.  They should have opened another line or serve red it as to order.  Being that this was the last cruise of the season you could tell some of the people had already began thier vacation.  The options were not very good and the buffet that they server during dinner is nothing more than help your self to what was being serverd in the dinning room.  Snack and food was not available except during scheduled times so if you were not on thier time table you might go with out eating or have to leave the ship and fend for your self.  

In every category, AMA exceeded expectations.  The ship, AmaStella, was beautiful.  The food was world class, the crew, to a man, were happy, friendly and helpful.  Our waiter, Milen, was professional, friendly, funny, experienced and caring.  It was a dream trip!

The cuisine was amazing. My cabin was comfortable and attractive. Crew members were friendly and helpful. The excursions were well organized and interesting. The ship itself was a jewel - and the cruise smooth and memorable.

We chose this cruise so that we could see Paris during Christmas time and it does not disappoint. The decorations and store windows were magical. As the last cruise of the season we had the added benefit of a very excited crew ready to go home. The crew was spectacular, the food magnificent, and the excursions were very entertaining and educational. You might want to forgo the large Paris Christmas Village and visit the more authentic village markets on your Normandy excursions.

This was our first time on a river cruise.  Our two teenage daughters were not too interested in it, but my husband and I enjoyed the experience.  Most of the shore excursions were nice, and well planned.  I really loved not having to figure out every detail myself.  I also enjoyed being with the same groups of people, as they were a pleasant a cooperative bunch.  Meals were good, although I wish they would seat us, instead of finding our own seats.  It would be less awkward.  We loved the whisper headsets that we used on the excursions.  They work well, and you no longer feel like you have to stand inches away from the guide to hear them.  Also we loved the Illuminations Cruise in Budapest.  It was beautiful and fun!

This was our first river cruise, and we really enjoyed it! We loved that the longship was smaller than a regular cruise ship. No walking through a smoky casino or schlepping a mile through a fake city just to get to dinner. It's more like staying in a small, nice hotel. Just cross the lobby to get to the restaurant, lounge upstairs, terrace, etc. We were definitely one of the youngest couples on the cruise (my husband and I are just shy of 40). Most couples were newly retired, and I'd say the average age on board was 60-70. There were maybe 3 other couples somewhat near our age. This didn't bother us at all, though. We're not the partying type. We really enjoyed everyone we sat with. They were from all different places (mostly US) and we had plenty enough in common to make friends.

One thing to point out first thing is how amazingly smooth river sailing is. I was worried that I'd experience motion sickness. On regular ocean cruises in the past, I was comfortable most of the time but if the ocean got rough at all, I might feel queasy. And even if I wasn't queasy, there was still that slight rocking sensation with the waves that one continues to feel even a couple days after the cruise. Not the case on the river cruise at all. I was surprised one night to look out and discover we'd begun moving! You cannot even feel the ship push off and begin. If I hadn't opened my stateroom curtain, I wouldn't have even known. It's pretty remarkable, actually. So for anyone who's always wanted to go cruising but has held back because of concerns over motion sickness, river cruising is for YOU!

The staterooms themselves are small but efficient, with plenty of regular plugs for US appliances (no converter needed) and even a couple of USB plugs. We chose a French Balcony room because we wanted the larger window. (We cruised in December, so never really opened the sliding door but it was still worth it to have the "wall of window" rather than a small window above eye level). I'm not sure that I'd pay much more to have an actual sitting balcony because we spent very little time in our room and there are plenty of places to sit with a wonderful view all over the ship.

The food was excellent. Forget your average, bland cruise ship buffet fare that most Americans will settle for. This is FAR superior. The Taste of Normandy lunch was especially good. Various French cheeses, mussels, etc. Red and white wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner. At each meal, you have the option to eat in the dining room (open seating...sit where and with whom you like) and order off the menu (usually 3 choices per course) or to eat more casually up in the Aquavit Terrace, which is essentially a window filled sunroom off the lounge upstairs, where the food is a little bit more casual. In either place, you can be comfortable. No meal was ever formal. Some people wore jeans to dinner, although I'd say the majority of people tended to clean it up a little for dinner. Most commonly, we saw men in khaki pants and a button down shirt or polo. Women might wear leggings, boots, and a cute top, and some had a skirt or dress pants. You'd really fit in no matter what. Some nights we dressed up a little more (the Captain's dinner did bring out more dresses and ties) and some nights we were tired after a long day of walking around and just stayed in our jeans but had nice sweaters or shirts. We fit in regardless.

The excursions were well planned, and the tour guides were fantastic. Working as a guide in France is really more of a profession than it is in the US, where it's more of a hobby. They really knew their stuff, and all had a great sense of humor as well. This cruise includes tours of a couple of small towns, a walking tour of highlights in Paris (Louvre is extra, which we did), and a visit to a couple of notable castles/homes. You'll use what they call a Quiet Vox, which is a little box you hang around your neck with an attached ear piece. This worked great, allowing us to hear the tour guide while walking around cities and such. We did every included excursion they offered, as well as a couple of the optional ones that appealed to us (farm visit, Louvre, Paris By Night). Many of the tours require a bus ride, so be aware of this. The trip to Normandy and the WWII museum was the longest (we were gone all day) and the bus ride each way was around 1.5 hours. However, they are very nice, comfortable coach buses, and we enjoyed listening to the guides tell the history behind whatever we were driving to see. If you need a front seat because of motion sickness issues, get out there early. The guides don't really like to save seats for anyone. Any tour that required us to be gone over lunch time included lunch at a restaurant. A really nice little extra touch was how we were welcomed back from nearly every excursion by a staff member standing at the door of the ship with a nice drink, or a cup of consomme or something like that. 

One thing I would say I was a little surprised by is how little sailing we seemed to do. Granted, this specific trip is just through Paris so it's not sailing that far. But we moved mostly at night, and only twice, I believe, during the day so that we could watch the scenery along the Seine. I heard from other travelers, though, that many of the other river cruises are a little more scenic and involve more daytime sailing.

Nighttime entertainment is nice .Most nights it was a musician up in the lounge playing piano. They had dancing some nights. It's not a cruise ship type deal, though, where there's a giant show each night. But I'd say river cruising is different, with a different crowd. Although the trip is relaxing overall, we were still tired each evening after our tours and had no desire to stay up drinking or partying. 

Here are the things I'd tell a friend to do/remember before taking this trip:

1) You might like to bring a small travel clock. For some reason, none of the rooms have an actual clock, so you'll need to use your phone. I found this annoying, and I know others mentioned it too. I want to be able to glance at a clock whenever I want, not have to find my phone to check.

2) Get some Euros before coming on the the trip, specifically $1 coins, because you'll be tipping right away (the shuttle from the airport to the ship, for example). You'll tip the tour guides and bus drivers, etc. They will break bills for you on the ship so you can have coins, but they won't exchange US money. (We used ATMs to get cash.) But next time, I'll make sure to have plenty of $1 coins on hand before I even get there so I'm prepared.

3) If you do the Paris By Night excursion, get out to the bus early and try to get the front seat. This is one time when it matters because you stay on the bus the entire tour (except for the stop at the Eiffel Tower, where you'll get out for pictures) and the view and picture-taking is the very best from the front seat.

4) If you want to bring some French cheeses home, they will vacuum seal them for you on the ship (customs requires this). Just ask the Maitre' D. 

5) Consider spending some time touring Paris by yourself. With the excursions, I discovered we actually didn't spend a lot of time just walking around Paris on our own. I wish we'd done this. There just isn't a ton of free time around Paris unless you choose to intentionally build it in to your trip for yourself. They did offer a couple of different bus times into the city on the first day there, but we hadn't gotten our bearings yet (and had to deal with some lost luggage with the airline) and didn't take advantage of that. You'll want to do this at the beginning or end of the trip, because you're traveling farther out during the middle of the trip.

Everything was above expectations--Amaprima was clean, decorated beautifully for Christmas, staff was always courteous and kind.  Excursions were fun, adventurous and informative.  Guided tours were just long enough to provide information about city, town or place allowing enough time for Christmas markets.  The only thing that could be improved was the wait time for dinner for each course--a little slow, maybe short staffed in that area.  Otherwise, an absolute wonderful vacation.