Viking Skadi Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Viking did an outstanding job to make this such a memorable trip. We did have an issue with some running water sounds and were moved to a different state room after our 2nd night. The food was outstanding from breakfast to dinner, along with the coffee and snack bar available all the time. The service was wonderful, attentive, and very proficient. Our room steward, Vesselin was great and Risty (in the main dining room) our server extraordinaire, who asked us our names the very first day and remembered for 2 weeks was superb. The ports along the Danube and Rhine, especially this time of year, with the Christmas Markets, food, gluwhein, souvenirs and decorations galore, made this trip even better. We also experienced some snow along the way, which only added to the ambiance of this lifetime memorable cruise.

We had a Great River, Gary the Cruise Director kept things very interesting, the weather was and little cool with one day  a total rain out. Next time I would go in September as the weather and the water levels would be a little better.

Enjoyable and relaxing. Silver beverage package provided for a large number of intoxicated seniors trying to ensure they got the money’s worth on the last few days. Salsburg excursion was lengthly by bus. Nearly four hours. Needed time for bathroom breaks that tour guide did not want to provide. Food provided very mediocre. Not enough wait staff. Entertainment great.

Why would a “Port Authority” tell Viking it could not dock in Amsterdam-but instead in Rotterdam? Viking is a huge river cruise line and has 44 itineraries that depart from Amsterdam. Have they NO clout?? When did Viking request this port of call? We made this reservation 2 yrs in advance and within 5 days of embarkation, Amsterdam ,which was a FEATURED,25% of the cruise gets changed???? How often does this happen to Viking. We are not talking low water levels but Port Authority says. We also had our return Amsterdam center port call changed to 5-10 miles away. Should we not have had consideration given for missing out on Amsterdam at the beginning? Let me know if this has happened to you on previous Viking cruises-not due to low water levels

River cruising is totally different than ocean cruising. We are going back in 2019!

From the crew to the itinerary to the gourmet meals-just a wonderful experience.  Crew was friendly but professional; food was plentiful but portions reasonable and many choices superbly prepared.  Wine was excellent and included; other non alcoholic beverages included and plentiful.  Service in the restaurant was quick and professional-glasses refilled before you asked.  Included side trips were professionally guided and transportation provided was efficient. Weather could have been better(cool and cloudy many days) but when the sun came out-sun deck was a great place to watch the world go by.  Loved the Netherlands and its people.  One word of caution-watch out for the bicyclsts-get out of their way!

The cruise itself was OK.  We went to tour the Christmas markets which have largely lost their charm - lots of the same junk you can buy at home. The tours were OK, but we found we had much more fun going out on our own. Sightseeing in some of the less traveled stops such as Durnstein was extrordinarily fun and interesting.

The standout onboard was the dining staff - wonderfully nice and accomodating. Decent food, outstanding soups. Sadly lacking was the concierge/cruise director bunch. Cold as ice, unfriendly and completely useless whether it was asking for a reservation at the baths in Budapest, or trying to get us home at a reasonable hour.

Oh, the air travel... unless you want to spend the first day of your cruise in bed sleeping, book your own airfare. We were delighted to save a bit of cash on flights until we found out why. It took us 23 hours to get from Charlotte to Budapest.  You see, when you sign up for their air, they book you on one of the routes they have pre-purchased. The flight they sent on our initial itinerary was not a "real flight", but an example of a flight. When we got our actual booking, we found that we were being routed through Chicago which included a 9 hour layover. I called and asked to have the flight changed and was told I would have to purchase the "flexible" travel plan, $50 per person, that would allow us to make changes to the flights up until the time of departure. We were then booked on another boondoggle and asked to change it when we were told, "Your tickets have been booked and there are no changes allowed." So much for the "flexible travel" plan! When we arrived, we heard other similar stories, like a woman and her 93 year old mother from Boston whose journey took 35 hours to complete. That's simply ridiculous not to mention inhumane. 

Our trip home  required that we leave at 3am in order to catch our morning flight. We were told to work with the concierge on the boat if we wanted to change it. We started working on that the moment we got on the boat. First response was "impossible", but when we asked to escalate, we were told they were "working on it". We asked every day; every day, they were "working on it". Finally, we were told 2 days before departure that they had found a later flight which would allow us to depart at 8am. And it was $775 per person to change. In retrospect, it was stupid to make the change, not only because of the $$, but because nearly everyone else on the boat had been booked on an early flight. By 3am, it was so loud, we got up. Clearly, they want you gone so they can begin prepping for the next load. The cruise director rode to the airport with us.  When one of the ladies asked him for help with her bag, he said "You're on your own now. Cruise is over." He sat two rows in front of us and openly complained about the people on the trip. Very professional.

As it turned out, our flight from DC to Charlotte did not provide enough time to get through customs, and we missed the connection so we had to stay overnight in DC. We had a housesitter staying with our dogs and horses who had already left the house that morning. He agreed to return late that evening , since he had other plans. When he arrived, our dogs were so worked up having been left alone for 12 hours that they ran into the street and one of them was killed. How about that for a nice finale for a vacation?

I don't generally complain since it doesn't really get you anywhere... but this time I did. I called their customer service line and was eventually asked, "What are we supposed to do about it? We can't bring your dog back to life." Interestingly, I got a survey in the mail from Viking that week, so I filled it out. About two weeks later, I received a call from a very nice woman who seemed genuinely concerned. She offered to give me $800 towards my next cruise. I thanked her for her offer, but told her I wouldn't be returning. That was actually the first sign of humanity I had seen from Viking other than their kitchen staff.

Out of respect for the kitchen and wait staff, I give this two stars. Everything else gets a 1 or 0.

Exceeded our expectations

It was consistently kept clean and presented a friendly, welcoming atmostphere.

This was the ships third cruise since new, so that was very nice. The crew was very pleasant and could not do enough for you. The cruise director kept things lively and he monitored all activities to make sure it was going OK!

What started out as a wonderful trip turned out to be a terrible experience. Our journey started in Amsterdam on the Viking Bragi. Cruising from Amsterdam to Budapest via the Grand European tour celebrating our 41st wedding anniversary. The staff/crew on the Bragi were exceptional. Unfortunately about midway through the trip the river level got too low. As a result we were forced to leave the Bragi which involved taking a 3 hour bus ride to catch a different ship downstream. That’s when the trip ran off the rails. The ship they moved us to was the Skadi. Sadly the Skadi staff was no comparison to the crew on the Bragi. Sure our cabin steward and several of the waiters including members of the restaurant staff were nice an accommodating. However the Skadi hotel manager (Stoyan Yanchev) and bar manager (Alexander) were extremely rude, abrasive, and condescending. The bar manager aggressively screamed at my wife the first night which set the tone for the remainder of the trip. Never once did they hint or offer an apology. We later heard the bar manager had been drinking throughout the day which may have contributed to his behavior. Regardless that’s no excuse. I witnessed; • Alexander doing shots while working behind the bar and drinking with other cruise guests • Alexander closed the ship lounge before 11:00pm on multiple nights yet it was difficult to find staff members in the lounge throughout the day • Skadi bar staff poured house brand liquor and wine into our glass even though we purchased the silver spirits package and requested upgrades • Refused to leave the wine bottle on the table during dinner stating it was against Viking corporate policy even though staff on the Bragi had no problem doing so • After knowing people were missing from the boat, the ship Program Director left a deaf couple behind forcing them to find their own may back to the boat costing them $100 • On the last night of our trip in Budapest caught two Skadi crew members having sex on the top deck Other observations; • Skadi staff refused to open the sliding doors in the Aquavit Terrace in the afternoon or evening until given permission by the hotel manager • Floor in the Aquavit Terrace was filthy. Don’t believe it was swept or mopped a single time during our visit • Accidentally dropped a couple peanuts on the floor in the lounge. Five days later the peanuts were still on the floor in the same spot • Skadi staff knew there were people on our boat with Covid yet they allowed these individuals to remain on the ship and participate on tours without notifying other passengers Unbelievable would be an understatement. I’m sure our experience would have been quite different if not forced to transfer ships. However that’s no excuse for the behavior or lack of professionalism displayed by members of the Skadi staff. If you think Viking corporate cares or has any control over employees on the boat think again. I called Viking three times and have yet to receive a return call. Almost forgot to mention our parting gift; my wife and I both tested positive for Covid the day after leaving the Skadi Don’t just take my word for it. Of the reviews on Trustpilot 84% of those responding gave Viking a 2 star or below rating