We are currently on a 10 day Viking cruise, with the first two days being spent in Lisbon before we head up to Port, Portugal to begin our river sailing journey. (Remember to follow along on Twitter and Instagram)
Lisbon has been a great city in which to start this adventure and I find myself loving the cobblestone mosaic sidewalks, winding and sloping streets, colorful tiled houses, and baroque architecture that envelopes this enchanting city.
Many cruise lines will begin pampering you once you get on board the ship, and then when you are off the ship you are on your own, but with Viking the royal treatment begins soon after booking your vacation and extends to areas well beyond your floating hotel. Here are 5 ways in which Viking River Cruises takes care of you every step of the way.
Communication and materials before the cruise begins
Shortly before your river cruise you will receive a Viking pouch with booklets and pamphlets to help prepare you for your journey. In this packet you will find luggage tags, postcards to send home, and materials on your cruise destination. You will also want to go through the itinerary and departure information which will explain the entire process and what each day will look like. Along with several emails or phone calls, Viking makes sure you are ready and excited for the journey ahead.
Friendly pick-up from the airport
When you see those red shirts and smiling faces waiting for you after baggage claim you know your adventure is about to begin. With very cordial and helpful staff to pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel or ship, Viking makes sure that you can leave all the stress of travel behind you.
Hotel arrangements
Depending on what type of cruise you have arranged with Viking you may have a few days to stay at a hotel before or after your cruise. Our first two days on this trip begin at a hotel called Tivoli which is in the heart of Lisbon and only a short walk to the river shoreline. Not only is the hotel amazing, Viking also makes sure that little treats and momentos are left in the room to pamper you even further. Meals and internet are typical taken care of for you so there’s no need to worry about that either. The entire process was seamless. Viking got us to the hotel, where another Viking representative showed us to a room with refreshments and coffee (much needed after our jet lag), and in a few minutes our hotel room was ready for us to take a quick nap.
Knowledgeable and friendly tour guides all along the way
No need to worry about paying extra for excursions and tours of these amazing destinations. Included in every Viking cruise are daily tours and trips. And if you’re feeling especially adventurous you can opt for the optional tours later in the day for a little extra. Either way you will have excellent tour guides and comfortable transportation. If you don’t want to walk, you can take a bus tour. If you want to get up close and personal with a destination you can opt for a more aggressive tour as well. No matter where your trip takes you, any time off the ship will be taken care of by your Viking rep. Whether you want to freestyle your vacation or stick close to an expert guide, you can actually “have it your way”.
Eating arrangements
Who doesn’t like to eat? Even if your trip takes you to a hotel or an off-ship tour, Viking will make sure you get plenty of delicious food. This could mean eating in a posh hotel restaurant or in an excursion that allows you to taste the foods and flavors of the local people. Tonight we will be enjoying The Taste of Lisbon tour and will eat some of the local foods of Portugal. Can’t wait to try it and let you know how it goes.
Viking River Cruises offers ultimate luxury on board their ships, but even when you’re not sailing down river you will still be treated like royalty. So far, I have no complaints.
Again, be sure to follow along during this trip and feel free to ask any questions. You can also tell us what topics or pictures you’d like us to post.
I would like to know please can you take wheelchair people on board, I need a suitable cabin, & I have to use chair all the time as cannot walk at all, also tours etc are they suitable, with transport for same. thank you. Nancy Beauchamp
Would be difficult. Excursions would also be very hard. Most of the places prohibit cars/buses so there is a lot of walking involved to get to them. Also, the buses, although great, we’re hard to get in and out of due to the steep steps. There were no wheelchair ramps. Unfortunately it probably would not work out for you.