rhone river cruise viking

Rolling On The Rhône River With Viking River Cruises

In September of this year, I took a dream trip—a European Viking River Cruise . From Provence in the south to Lyon in the Northern Rhône region of France, I traveled for seven days on board the Viking longship Buri.

Embarking in the medieval city of Avignon, the itinerary was an exploration of beautiful riverside cities, fine French food, and Roman ruins. We sailed past the storied vineyards of Tain l-Hermitage and names like Chapoutier and Paul Jaboulet.  

We stopped at six ports along the Rhône River … each port was rich in history and culture. 

The Viking Buri, docked in Lyon, France

• 1 Shore excursions
• 2.1 Carrieres des Lumieres
• 2.2 Pont du Gard
• 3 Food and wine on the Provence – Lyon itinerary
• 4.1 Chateauneuf du Pape
• 6 Tournon Sur Rhone

Shore excursions

Viking is known for wonderful shore excursions led by knowledgeable, local tour guides. Some tours are included in the cost of the cruise. Since it was my first time on the Rhône, I took every included walking tour to learn as much as I could. While all of the included tours were excellent, the optional tours were exceptional.

The optional tours or shore excursions are available for an additional cost. This allows travelers to dig deeper into the culture if they wish.  You could easily do the morning-included excursion and add on an optional excursion that departs later in the day.  You can usually book a tour after departure, as long as there is space. 

Optional Shore Excursions

I took two optional shore excursions, though many others were offered. One highlighted the art and culture of southern France,  and the other explored the legacy of ancient Rome.

Carrieres des Lumieres

This optional tour included a longish bus ride but it was worth it. The Carrières des Lumières is an art and light show staged in limestone mines in the hill town of Les Baux in Provence . A famous artist’s work is projected onto the walls, floor, and ceiling of the interior and set to music. It’s an immersive experience that has remained with me to this day. It’s not an easy place to get to either,  so it makes it all the more special.

Les Baux has an interesting history as a fortress town that has seen many changes of fortune. Located in the foothills of the Apilles, Les Baux experiences the fierce mistral winds. 

Pont du Gard by Penny Sadler

Pont du Gard

The other optional excursion I loved was the Pont du Gard. I liked it so much, I dedicated an article to it. 

Food and wine on the Provence – Lyon itinerary

As with every Viking river cruise, food played a significant part in the story of the place. Often, the chef would prepare a special meal featuring the food and local wine.

In Provence, we drank Rhône blends such as the wines of Chateauneuf du Pape . Farther north, in Tournon Sur Rhône, we docked near the famous Hermitage AOC Vineyards . That evening we drank a local syrah, a famous wine variety in this region.  Delicious food, elegant wines, art, and architecture are all part of the cruise experience and all the things I love about Europe .

Let’s roll on the Rhone River from Provence to Lyon

The beautiful city of the Popes, Avignon

Avignon, City of popes

 The first day includes a guided walk of Avignon and a guided tour of the renowned Palace of the Popes or Palais des Papes .

 The Palace of the Popes was both a palace and a fortress. Today it is the largest Gothic building in Europe and along with the historic center of Avignon is a  UNESCO World Heritage Site. From 1309-1377 it was the papal residence and housed seven popes. 

Near the Palais des Papes is the picturesque Pont d’Avignon. Constructed in the 12th century to connect the two sides of the Rhône River, it now has only four of the original twenty-two arches. In my opinion, it is best viewed from the other side of the river with the Palace of the Popes in the background. 

During my free time in Avignon, I enjoyed wandering the medieval streets, especially around the Place de l’ Horloge, the main square.

I even met a resident of the city who owned a charming vintage shop. She graciously invited me into her home where we sat in the backyard enjoying a cup of tea and conversation. Who says the French are unfriendly? 

Chateauneuf du Pape

The southern Rhône Valley is known for the wines of Chateauneuf du Pape . Viking offers an optional shore excursion to this heralded wine region.   

The Roman Colosseum in Arles, France

Arles is a wonderful city, with a creative atmosphere and a bohemian vibe. Though it was once the capital of the Kingdom of Arles and an important river port, it is best known for the outstanding Roman amphitheater Les Arènes. 

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the arena became a shelter for the population and at one time there were over houses constructed within the arena. Towers and fortifications were added. Because people were actually living within the structure, the arena was saved from being pilfered for stone as the Colosseum in Rome was, or otherwise allowed to decline.   

Today there are still bullfights in this arena, though most are centered around a unique tradition where the bullfighter tries to remove a wreath of flowers from the bull’s horns. 

Vincent Van Gogh was a resident of Arles and the painter, Gaugin, often visited him there. During one of Gaugin’s visits, Van Gogh painted Les Arènes depicting a crowd at a bullfight in the amphitheater. I was 

The walking tour of Arles takes you to the courtyard of a building where he stayed. The tour also includes a walk past the photogenic Cafe Van Gogh however, there won’t be time to linger there. You’ll need to come back later on your own time.  Oddly, the city of Arles does not own any Van Gogh paintings therefore, the only way to view them in Arles is on the occasion of a special exhibition. 

Me in front of the vintage steam train.

Tournon Sur Rhone

The Marc Seguin Bridge, Tournon Sur Rhone

We arrived in Tournon after dinner, but early enough for a walk. The  bridge  in the photo connects Tournon with the famous Tain L’ Hermitage AOC vineyards.

From here the optional tour offered was a ride on a vintage steam train  through the forest. I recommend this! The scenery is beautiful and it’s fascinating to travel via the train de l’ardèche

A view of the Rhône towards the south from Vienne.

Vienne is a stunning city with an ancient Roman past and some impressive Roman ruins . The included shore excursion is a walking tour of the city. You’ll stroll through the medieval old town with its narrow half-timbered structures and picturesque squares. Other landmarks are the Gothic Cathedral of St.Maurice and the Chapelle Notre Dame. 

After seeing the crumbling remains of a Roman wall, the amphitheater which was recovered from centuries of rubble so not functional, and the medieval half-timbered houses in the city center, the Temple of Augustus and Livia was a big wow moment. Built under Pontius Pilate, it is in near-perfect condition in the middle of a pretty square surrounded by wine shops.   shops. 

The boat docked in Vienne overnight, so a group of us went for a walk in the city after dark. It was a magical experience walking through the ancient old town with very few people around. I memory I will always treasure.

A mix of architectural styles from different centuries in Vienne – medieval architecture adjacent to Roman ruins.

Lyon is France’s second-largest city , yet the pace does not feel frantic or big city at all. The guided visit to Lyon is key if you’ve never been there before. It is a deep city and there is much history to uncover. 

The included shore excursion goes to the top of Fourvière Hill dominated by the Fourvière Cathedral, not to mention amazing views of the city. In Roman times this was the center of Lyon. 

Since the hill is quite steep you will take a bus to the top. The rest of the tour is a walking tour. 

Known as a city of gastronomy,  Lyon is the perfect place to indulge in fine French cuisine.  Be sure to try some local dishes like Salad Lyonnaise with a glass of rosé.

Beautiful Lyon, France, view from Fourviére Hill

My favorite part of the city was the Vieux Lyon or the old town built along the Saône River. The docks for the cruise ships are on the other side of the river so it’s very convenient to walk from the ship to the old town.

Be sure to explore the hidden alleyways used during the war to evade the Nazis. Other highlights of the Vieux Lyon are the magnificent St. Jean Cathedral.

I spent all my free time walking the cobblestone streets of Vieux Lyon or sitting at a cafe, enjoying a local wine. 

If you have any questions for me about any of the ports or what it’s like to take a Viking River Cruise you can email me , or l eave a comment . One of the things I love about river cruises is that you only have to unpack one time. Your hotel travels with you. If you’re looking for stress-free ways to travel , this is ideal .

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44 comments.

Hi – I just lucked upon your blog. Hubby & I are taking the Lyon to Avignon Cruise in July. We said we’d never get on a Cruise but this one seem to be pretty cool – few people, no kids, no casinos, etc. Although, I do wish there was a gym/spa. We are very active, love good Rhone Wine, we love getting off the beaten path and do what the locals do, find little gems. We def want to do the Chateauneuf-du-Pape excursion – are there any other add excursions we shouldn’t miss? Any tips? Anything you can share with a newbie would be greatly appreciated – TY

Hi Leiah, You’ll love the itinerary. So you’ll be traveling the opposite direction. On the deck of the ship you can walk or jog I guess. A lot of people do, walk that is. Not sure about jogging. The ship is not large enough for a spa or gym which I think is due to size restrictions since it’s for river cruising, not ocean cruising. You’ll do plenty of walking each day though. My simple fitness routine is situps in bed. 100 squats and 100 pushups which can be done almost anywhere. plus walking, walking, and more walking.

Definitely treat yourself to a nice meal in Lyon. One of the places I didn’t mention ( I need to add it to the article which I’m in the process of updating) is Viviers. It’s a small town, right on the river, very old and pretty. There was a terrific pottery shop there. The place is small so you can ask about it. If your ship docks overnight in Vienne go back after dinner for a night walk. So fun! There’s a good wine shop near the monument of Augustus and Livia. If you like art definitely go to Les Baux if they offer it. At Pont du Gard, break away from the group and go straight to the bridge. It’s incredible. Just be sure you know what time to reunite with the group! If you have time you can walk across the bridge. I wish Id’ done that. We also did a night walk in Tournon but if you have time you could take a taxi to Tain hermitage. Look into that. The train ride was interesting too. Hope this is helpful. Have a great trip and let me know what little treasures you find!

Oh thanks so much! I was just signing up for the excursions and noticed the Chateauneuf du Pape Tour and Pont du Gard is at the same time. So, question, is there a way to do both or is one just so much better…..IDK, seems like we can get get some really good wines elsewhere and not miss the Bridge? Thoughts?

Well, I have no idea about doing both, I mean if they are at the same time it’s impossible. If you stay over in Avignon you could do a visit to Chateauneuf du Pape on your own or with a guide you book on your own. The Pont du Gard vs. Chateauneuf du Pape, well, I vote for the bridge but I did manage to do both because I arrived early in Avignon and went to CDP with a private guide. Good luck!

[…] Douro River cruise was my third cruise with Viking Cruises. In 2019, I traveled with Viking on the Danube River from Budapest to Passau, […]

[…] October I joined Viking on the Danube Waltz cruise. This was my second river cruise and I was absolutely blown away by every port city and the inspiring shore excursions on the Danube […]

We are doing the Rhone river cruise in Sept from Lyon to Avignon and want to stay a day ahead in Lyon. I can’t seem to find out from Viking WHERE the longboat docks so I can pick a hotel relatively near the area where we will embark. Can you offer any help on where the boat was docked in Lyon?

Thanks Sandy DImke

Hello Sandy, Have you emailed your Viking travel advisor? I would think you could get a response and also a recommendation. They are usually happy to help with bookings as well. I can’t remember the name or the exact dock but I can tell you it is within walking distance of the Vieux Lyon. Hope that helps.

[…] Pont du Gard is offered as an excursion to travelers on the Viking River Cruises Provence to Lyon itinerary. One of many excellent tours I took on the eight-day cruise, it stands out as a highlight of my […]

[…] really almost no reason not to take that dream trip. If you haven’t ever considered a European river cruise, here are five reasons why you should consider […]

I would LoVE to have this experience! Thanks for sharing.

Thank Jill! I’m surprised you’ve not already taken a river cruise. I highly recommend it!

Hi, My husband and I will be taking this Viking Cruise April 2019. We want to to an extension to Paris on our own. We would like to take the train from Lyon to Paris. Our Viking Booking agent thought it would be better to Fly from Lyon to Paris. My husband and I like an adventure. I think the train would be fun and scenic, not sure How far train station is to boat once we disembark. Your thoughts since you have been here. Thank You, Jan

I would take the train to Lyon. I just took this cruise and stayed 3days in Paris too. The train takes only 2 hours. I can’t imagine why you would fly. Viking took us to ship but I don’t remember it being far. I would use Uber. We used it in Paris and Nice. Very reasonable and quick.

Marilee, thank you for replying to this comment. Very helpful!

Hi Jan, Please see Marilee’s reply.

[…] Rolling on the Rhone […]

Penny, exactly where does the Viking boat dock in Lyon? Is it near any M station?

Hi Lester, I arrived in Lyon on the boat as we left from Avignon. I can’t say how far the metro is because I did not take it. However I can tell you that if you are planning one of these cruises all you need to do is ask the Viking River people. They will be able to answer all questions of this nature. I did find this in a very quick Google search, “Which lines do you get to River Cruises Boat in Lyon? These lines stop near River Cruises Boat: Bus – 171, Bus – 60, Bus – C9, Bus – S1, Light Rail – T1, Metro -“

Thanks so much!

[…] Pont du Gard is offered as an excursion to travelers on the Viking River Cruises Provence to Lyon itinerary. One of many excellent tours I took on the eight day cruise, it stands out as a highlight of my […]

This seems like an amazing place, Penny! I would love to visit it one day!

France is awesome!

[…] New… Postcard: Polignano a Mare, Italy Discover An Old World Christmas Market In Wisconsin Rolling On The Rhone River With Viking Cruises Why Travel Solo To Iceland Wine Bloggers Meet in Lodi, California Wine Region Wine Tasting […]

thank you…I used my airline points…can select our seats

well points are always good!

thank you your information that it is town is very helpful.

Thank you for your speedy response. I think I will call Viking.On Google i am getting both impressions. I have been given the name of the 3 possible ports through my travel agent. They want $120 to transport us from the airport to the pier….

I’m not sure what to tell you since I’m not your travel agent. I do know that you can arrange transport with Viking if you book your air with them too. If you don’t then you would be on your own to get yourself to your port. Maybe try googling a bit to see if you can find some competitive rates on the transport? Also, Viking might have some recommendations for you, or not. I don’t really know.

If you have not already booked your airfare I can confirm that booking through Viking you can get some very good rates.

Thank you for your lovely review. We are taking this trip in October, we are doing our own air and starting in Lyon. I would like to just take a cab to the port. Is it in Lyon? Or is the Lyon port out of town? Any idea how long it took from port to airport? Thank you

Hi Esta, I’m afraid I can’t be of much help. My boat departed from Avignon and we disembarked in Lyon. I don’t recall the ride from the boat to the airport but I’m sure you could ask the folks at Viking or whoever you booked your cruise with and they’d be happy to help you. Or you could even google it. The port is in Lyon yes. It’s a lovely cruise. I’m sure you will enjoy it.

I’ve only ever done a Nile cruise, and that was by felucca rather than cruise ship. This looks rather lovely!

It was, is!

Have heard so much about Vikings River Cruises, and they sounds like an incredible way to explore European destinations. So glad that you had the chance to visit France – especially as a wine lover – some fantastic regions here to explore! We loved Lyon 🙂

Thanks Megan. I really wan to go back to France. And yes, Lyon is one of my favorite cities now.

Ahh… the more I read about Viking River Cruises, the more I want to try them out. That image of strolling the cobblestone streets of Lyon and sipping at the cafes is seduction at its finest!

Penny, I’m having second thoughts about this trip. Are you docked in cities or do you have to take buses? I like to get off the ship and explore. I read one review that said skip this cruise and take the Germany one because you get off in cities. I have taken Paris to Normandy and loved it but we were supposed to be docked in Paris. didn’t happen. Constantly on a schedule.

Hi Marilee, thank you for your question and comments. At most of the ports but NOT ALL of the ports you need to take a bus into the city. Ports where you are docked within walking distance include: Avignon, Vivier, Vienne and Lyon. However, be advised that to arrive in Vienne you will travel by bus from the port in Tournon. Then the boat is docked in Vienne overnight. There is time to go out and explore. We did so after dinner. Lyon you can chose to go explore on your own or take the tour with the Viking guide. Same in Avignon. I have not taken the Germany trip yet but I would like to. Let me know what you decide.

[…] on the right bank of the Rhone River in southern Ardéche, it is the best preserved medieval town in southern France.  A marked path […]

I would have been delighted to have poured your wine for you at every stop on that trip, madame. Perhaps next time…

Ha! if only I’d known I would have invited you for sure!

Penny, just saw this one—I’m jealous! Beautiful images and what sounds like many pleasures.

Did we not talk about France? You should have gone with me! You are so kind – Thanks Tom.

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• River Cruising

Viking Rhone River Cruise Review with Lots of Photos and Menus

By MVPinBoynton , April 18 in River Cruising

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MVPinBoynton

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I have just posted a review to my website with lots of photos of the Rhone River cruise on the Viking Delling.     I also have   the menus from the restaurant and lounge.

When we booked this trip, we knew that we would see a lot of beautiful places and have some wonderful experiences.  This trip far exceeded our expectations.  We knew that the Viking long ships are perfect for river cruises and that their staff is friendly and very customer focused.  We didn’t expect to meet so many enjoyable cruise mates on this cruise.  Everyone was so friendly and fun loving.  We looked forward to seeing our friends every day.  We knew the ports would be pretty, but they were so much better than we thought they would be.  So much beauty and so much history.  The outstanding Viking tour guides made every tour so special.

In Arles, we saw one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world.

In Avignon, we were impressed with the beautiful massive walls around the town and the Palace of the Popes where seven popes lived after leaving Rome.

In Lyon, we visited the Notre Dame Basilica.     It is certainly one of the most beautiful churches I have ever been in, and I have been a bunch of them.

We also traveled out to the beautiful, lush wine country for tastings.     So gorgeous.

Our only disappointment was that we should have added additional days in Paris so we could experience so much more.  But on the plus side, we now have a very good reason to plan a return trip on our own sooner rather than later.     If you are thinking about doing a river cruise, I would highly recommend doing the Rhone.  It is a winner!

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Great review and great pics!  Glad you enjoyed it.

I'm with @CDNPolar  , really great review and great pics.

I did this cruise on Viking Delling in August 2023 and it was interesting to see the differences.

Our Tournon train ride was in open carriages and the river below was dry, just a few pools left, so it was most interesting for me to see it in flood in your pictures. And we made it all way.

But we didn't get to Vienne. The boat was delayed and the included tour cancelled.

We visited different wineries, and I thought the optional Chateau Neuf du Pape was poor - and it caused me to write the only letter of complaint to Viking in 13 cruises with them, on the other hand the included tour to Beaujolais was first rate.

A couple of points. Your description mentions the coffee station "just before you enter the lounge on the port side" which reads like there is only one coffee station, but there's an identical one in the same position in the starboard side. 

The description "a unisex bathroom with two stalls.  Men and women could be in there at the same time, which was a bit different." caused me a double take but I think it's a matter of interpretation. Just a shared washbasin.

On the upper deck the stalls each have a washbasin and there's no shared door.

My briefer review our our trip  is here

3 minutes ago, pontac said: I'm with @CDNPolar  , really great review and great pics.   I did this cruise on Viking Delling in August 2023 and it was interesting to see the differences.   Our Tournon train ride was in open carriages and the river below was dry, just a few pools left, so it was most interesting for me to see it in flood in your pictures. And we made it all way.   But we didn't get to Vienne. The boat was delayed and the included tour cancelled.   We visited different wineries, and I thought the optional Chateau Neuf du Pape was poor - and it caused me to write the only letter of complaint to Viking in 13 cruises with them, on the other hand the included tour to Beaujolais was first rate.   A couple of points. Your description mentions the coffee station "just before you enter the lounge on the port side" which reads like there is only one coffee station, but there's an identical one in the same position in the starboard side.    The description "a unisex bathroom with two stalls.  Men and women could be in there at the same time, which was a bit different." caused me a double take but I think it's a matter of interpretation. Just a shared washbasin.   On the upper deck the stalls each have a washbasin and there's no shared door.   My briefer review our our trip  is here  

It is interesting how the same cruise can be so different.  Thanks for your comments. I’m will make a couple modifications based on them. 

Thank-you so much for this wonderful review. I am doing this cruise in June on the Buri and really enjoyed seeing your pictures and reading your comments. My first time on Viking so seeing the menus was helpful to me. I will probably read this several more times before I leave. BTW, I signed up for the Pont du Gard and Lyon culinary optional tours. I will probably skip the Lyon winery tour as I’m not much of a drinker. I think I will visit the resistance museum that morning. Thank-you again!

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A Viking Longship sails through a charming village. A typical itinerary will allow passengers to spend the better part of a day exploring cities, towns, castles and museums with a guide or on their own.

Rolling on the Rhone River with Viking Cruises

From www.adventuresofacarryon.com via Scoop.it :

A Viking River Cruise along the Rhone River from Provence to Lyon is a historical, cultural and gastronomic experience not to be missed.

September of this year saw me fulfilling a long-standing dream of taking a European River Cruise. From Provence in the south to Lyon in the northern Rhone region of France, I spent seven days on board the Viking longship Buri .

During the week long cruise, we stopped at six ports along the Rhone River. Each port was a mini history and culture lesson. Often the food and wine of a particular area was a special treat at dinner, as when we arrived in Tournon Sur Rhone, where just across the river are the famous Hermitage AOC Vineyards. That evening, we drank a local Syrah. Food, wine, art, and architecture – all the things I love about Europe – were part of the cruise experience, which Viking does so well.

This was my first time in France, and I was not disappointed. Many of my readers know that I’m a big Italophile, but this year I went to France instead of Italy. Who knew that France has almost as many Roman ruins as Italy? Everywhere we went, we saw magnificent monuments and remains of what was once the mighty Roman Empire.

I find river cruising very appealing and what could be better than a cruise through some of the most beautiful places in France. And what better way to experience this than on a Viking River Cruise . I can just imagine the photographic possibilities.

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Viking River Cruise Review for Lyon & Provence on Viking Delling Long Ship

At first glance, including a Viking River Cruise review on a blog dedicated to RV travel might seem a bit unusual. We took a Viking River Cruise in France on the Lyon and Provence trip on the Rhone River. We were on the Viking Delling ship and thought we should share our experiences with others.

Yet, this cross-over introduces RVers to the charms of cruising Europe’s rivers, blending the thrill of discovery with the luxury of having every detail managed.

This Viking River Cruise review serves as a bridge between two distinct travel passions, illustrating how each offers unique adventures and insights. It’s a way to diversify travel experiences, appealing to those who love the open road but are curious about the serenity and cultural richness offered by a river cruise.

Why Review Our Viking Cruise?

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While our main focus is on the freedom and adventure of RVing across the United States, we truly love all travel, European river cruises included. (Although we did also post about our trip to Cuba and RV’ing options there!)

So, why are we dedicating a single one-time blog post to our review of a Viking River Cruise on the Viking Delling? Let us explain.

• Shared Wanderlust : At the core of it, both RV travel and river cruises share a common thread: wanderlust. Whether you’re cruising the open road in your RV or traveling the scenic waterways of Europe, the desire to explore new places, experience different cultures, and create unforgettable memories remains the same. Our blog is all about celebrating that shared spirit of adventure.
• Expanding Horizons : Travelers often have a wide range of interests. While we primarily cover RV travel, we recognize that our readers’ interests extend beyond the highways and campgrounds of the USA. By exploring European river cruises, we’re expanding the horizons of travel possibilities and catering to the diverse tastes of our audience.
• Seek New Inspiration : Sometimes, the best inspiration comes from venturing outside your comfort zone. We believe that by sharing our story of a European river cruise, we’re not just offering insights into a specific type of travel but also encouraging our readers to seek new inspirations and adventures that go beyond the open road.

In a nutshell, this one-off blog post about European river cruises is an extension of our passion for travel and exploration.

It’s a testament to our belief that travel is a diverse and enriching tapestry, with every mode of exploration offering its unique rewards.

Besides, we spotted numerous RVs throughout France!

While docked at our port in Viviers, we found ourselves next to a sizable campground filled with fellow RVers.

We provide many photos and a description below to give a sense of what it was like on the Viking Delling cruise.

We also encountered several RVs on the roads of France, including our visit to Lyon.

In late September 2023, I had the opportunity to connect with an old friend on a Viking River Cruise ship in France that traveled for a week up the Rhone River.

We were on Viking’s Lyon & Provence river cruise.

We had a great time, albeit a few complications, and since we’ve had so much interest from friends and family about what the trip was like on the Viking ship, I thought a blog post was in order.

Here I provide details on the positives and negatives of my experience with the Viking River Cruise, along with a summary of suggestions.

Travel from the USA to France and Return

Our Viking River Cruise review starts in the United States.

Viking gives you the option of having them book your travel, including all transfers to/from the airport.

I would not recommend this; instead, book your own tickets. Others I spoke with on the cruise said the same thing.

Here are a few reasons:

Viking is in charge of picking your flights.

They choose the least expensive flight options, meaning the flights were at the worst times – either very early morning (i.e., 6 AM’ish) or very late flights. We could not change these.

Initially they booked the wrong departure airport for me.

To change this, I had to call back and be on hold for a long time (i.e., 30+ minutes) to reach a customer service agent whose accent was difficult to understand.

Viking booked me on discount airlines with bad reputations.

You do not have a say in which airlines they book.

Any travel changes that you’d like to make have to go through their travel agents.

You cannot change your seat, upgrade, etc. Only the travel agent can do this for you.

This requires a long phone call.

My outgoing and return flights were both canceled, but no one told me, not the travel agency, airline, Viking, or anyone else.

I only found out from another Viking passenger on the way to the airport at 4:30 AM.

It was a nightmare to rebook them as I had to call the emergency contact for Viking travel and sit on hold for about an hour while they figured it out. (Which is one reason you want to be sure to have cell service for your trip.)

I ended up with middle seats for both long flights (including one 10 ½ hour flight) since I was rebooked on a different flight at the last minute and no other seats were available.

If I had control of my booking, this would have been a lot easier.

On the way to France, my luggage was lost. However, Viking did great with this issue and retrieved my bag for me when it was available at the airport.

The next step in our Viking River Cruise review is embarkment on the ship.

Passengers arrive at various times throughout the day, and the check-in procedure is straightforward.

However, meal times, specifically lunch and dinner, are scheduled.

If you arrive between these designated times, you may find yourself waiting for your next meal. This can be a bit challenging, especially after a long flight with limited opportunities to eat.

It would be beneficial if Viking River Cruises could consider offering a simple buffet during these transition periods to accommodate travelers who have had a long day or two of journeying.

We were traveling on the Viking Delling ship . It is a long river boat, with space for a little under 200 guests.

My initial impressions were that it was spotless, shiny, and very well kept. This remained the same throughout the trip. The staff kept the interior of the ship very clean and tidy.

When you first enter the door, you enter a lobby with a reception desk.

There are three floors.

An elevator is available if needed.

There is a small library on the third floor with seating and books.

One of my favorite things was the availability of a help yourself coffee station that made fabulous coffee, tea, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, etc, at the push of a button.

The coffee was great and available 24 hours a day. For this aspect, I give this Viking River Cruise review an A+.

Review of the Staterooms on the Viking Delling

There are hallways on each floor, going in two directions from the main lobby area.

The hallways are wide and easy to walk down. The video below shows a quick walk down one of the hallways in the Viking Delling.

Our room was on the lower level, i.e., the cheap seats. We were in room 125.

In my opinion, paying for a higher grade stateroom on a Viking River Cruise is not really worth it.

In many of the room with windows and balconies, those features were not very useful as when we were docked, we were typically either right next to the dock wall or parked next to another Viking ship, blocking the view from the windows or balconies.

We had a little window that gave us natural light, which was fine.

When the ships were docked right next to each other, passengers from the far ship had to go through the lobby on the near ship to get to the dock.

Plus most of our traveling was done at night when we were sleeping, so the idea of sitting on your balcony and enjoying the sights didn’t really work out for those who paid extra for those rooms.

We found that we spent very little time in our stateroom anyway, as most of the time when we weren’t sleeping we were out doing something or sitting on the decks of the Viking Delling.

We had two single beds, each with a small side table.

The beds were very comfortable. There is room under each bed to store your suitcase.

The staff clean your room twice a day, including a turn down service. (Please excuse our mess!)

Our stateroom had a closet for hanging clothes, shelves, a safe, and a chest of drawers.

There was plenty of storage for everything for two people.

However, there weren’t really enough hangers for both of us to use for our clothes, so you may want to bring extras.

A full length mirror is available behind the door.

American type electrical outlets were available (but no USB outlets, so bring a USB plug so you can charge your phone, etc.).

We also had a mini refrigerator.

There are outlets by the dresser and also ones behind the pillows on each bed.

The bathroom was extremely nice for a cruise ship and much better than I expected. This part of the Viking River Cruise review gets high ratings.

The floor was heated and the shower pressure was great with lots of hot water. It was also much larger than you’d find on other cruise ships.

The bathroom was spotless and cleaned twice a day.

A hair dryer is provided, along with travel size toiletries (e.g., shampoo, lotion). Fresh towels were always available.

The video below shows a walk-through of our stateroom. It’s a little messy, so please ignore that! But it will give you a sense of the size of the bathroom and overall space.

Dining on the Viking River Cruise

Meals are served at set times on Viking River Cruises. We found the chef-prepared meals to be really delicious.

On the chef’s day off, they bring in a caterer, which offers a little variety.

There are two areas for dining: the formal dining room and also an outdoor patio area.

The weather during our trip was fantastic, so we tried to grab a table outside on the patio whenever we could.

This area was popular, so we had to get there early and usually shared our table with other travelers, which livened up the experience.

Sitting on the patio at the front of the ship was also very fun when we went through the many river locks along the way.

When you sign up for the cruise, it asks for your dietary preferences.

The meals were designed to accommodate vegetarians and gluten free diets, etc. along with the regular fare. This is another positive aspect of our Viking River Cruise review.

Every day we had a choice of two breakfasts: a continental breakfast on the patio or a full breakfast in the dining room.

We usually had the lighter continental breakfast, but it was the exact same food every day. Even the layout was exactly the same.

This got a little old as it seemed Viking could have come up with some different pastries or something each day.

Lunch is a choice of meals that are representative of the region that change every day as well as other options that stay the same and are available every day.

Dinner is different every day as well on Viking River Cruises. Again, an A+ for this review of Viking River Cruises.

It includes a choice of starters, main courses, and dessert. There is always one vegetarian option available.

The dinners were really delicious and enjoyable times to share our experiences with others and make new friends.

Bar and Lounge Area on the Viking Delling

The bar area includes a bar, lounge type tables and chairs, dance floor, and a piano which was usually played in the evening.

One evening was particularly entertaining as the cruise staff led people to dance to the YMCA song, do the chicken dance, make a conga line, and other wedding type dances. It was hilarious to watch as everyone was having a great time on this Viking River Cruise.

Viking River Cruises provides a choice of complimentary wines, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner.

There is also the option to purchase the Silver Spirits upgrade package, which includes premium wines, cocktails, etc. It cost $25 per day on our cruise. We purchased this and found it to be a good value.

Even though we are not heavy drinkers, it was nice to be able to upgrade our wine or enjoy a cocktail whenever we wanted.

The bartenders and servers will ask for your stateroom number, and will add the cost of alcohol upgrades to rooms without the Silver Spirits package.

Wi-fi service is available and worked well.

Along our route, we also had excellent cell service with our American telecom providers. Be sure to contact them prior to your travel to determine the ability to use your phone overseas. They usually offer a way to connect as normal.

There are also two computers with Internet access available for use on the third floor. We never saw anyone using them, however.

We didn’t think we’d need our cell phones, but ended up using them frequently to contact each other, even while on the ship.

We also dropped pins for the ship’s location when we arrived at a port and went off exploring on our own. That made it easy to find our way home.

We also went through several river locks on the Rhone River. Many of these were at night when we were asleep, but we were able to go through a lock from the front of the ship’s patio dining area which was fun.

See the Rhone lock video below.

The upstairs deck of the Delling was fabulous. Another A+ for the Viking River Cruise review.

There were only a few times that we spent on the deck while cruising, as most of the time when we were awake we were docked somewhere, so we got off the ship to explore.

There is a shuffle board and putting green, that many of the cruisers on our ship enjoyed.

Otherwise people read, enjoyed the sun, or enjoyed a glass of wine as we cruised down the Rhone river.

We passed beautiful sights along the way, but also passed a huge nuclear plant, which was interesting.

The video below is of us cruising up the Rhone River, while enjoying the sun on the upper deck of the Viking Delling.

Every evening you will find a daily newsletter for the next day’s activities.

It includes a calendar of activities and excursions, meal times, and where you will be each day. This is useful as you will usually wake up in a different place than where you were when you went to bed.

The newsletter also includes a short summary of the area we are exploring, with a short history lesson and highlights of the area.

Review of Viking Excursions

Viking includes some excursions for free at each port, while others are add-on expenses.

We did a few of each, including some walking tours, visits to wineries, a steam engine train ride, and tours of historic buildings.

The video below is of our steam engine train ride. (It is similar to the narrow gauge steam engine train ride between Durango and Silverton in Colorado, although that one is more scenic as it goes through the San Juan Mountains.)

The scenery was outstanding, which was also helped by us having sunny 80 degree weather every day, which is not usual for late September in France.

The Viking cruise line has its own tour buses that will take you from location to location.

Everyone gets a card with their name on it that they use to scan at the door when they arrive or depart so that the ship knows if they’re missing anyone.

You will be assigned to a specific group each time.

There’s usually about 3-4 separate groups for each tour. The group leader carries a “lollipop” on a stick so you can follow along.

Each passenger also gets a headset so they can hear whatever the tour guide is saying. This was useful in some places and not as useful in other areas.

It also made the tour group following the tour guide very quiet, which seemed to surprise people looking at the tour group walking down the street in silence. Everyone was listening to their headsets and not speaking to one another.

We found the excursions to be a little slow paced (likely due to the average age of the cruisers), and sometimes the tour guides were great, but other times they were not. So this gets mixed results for our Viking River Cruise review.

We ended up leaving one tour to explore Lyon on our own, which ended up being the better option.

I’d recommend exploring on your own at times, if you are comfortable, to really get a taste of the culture.

About 90% of the passengers on our ship were Americans. The others were usually British or Australian.

English is the language used for everything.

The average age on our cruise was easily over 70 years old, if not older.

We thought it was really great to see them out doing things and enjoying retirement, rather than sitting at home in the USA. Viking definitely caters to this demographic, so it seemed everyone felt comfortable.

Even though all of the passengers were incredibly nice, being younger than this, we found there to be a bit of a generational gap.

We wanted the tours to move faster, for example.

We ended up finding a group of younger people that we socialized with frequently and shared meals with, which turned out to be really nice.

However, it’s clear that Viking knows their target demographic, and that’s upper middle income older retirees from the USA.

Viking expects everyone to dress for dinner in “elegant casual” which you can interpret in any number of ways.

Most people on our cruise wore casual dresses or slacks with button down shirts for dinner. But by the end of our cruise, people were becoming more casual and showing up in jeans and shorts.

No one cared, or even noticed.

For all other times, you can wear whatever you want. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes for the amount of walking you will do.

Viking Staff

Most of the Viking staff were Eastern European on our ship. They were all (with the exception of one!) incredibly nice and friendly.

When you sit in the same place for lunch and dinner every day (although that’s not required, most people end up in the same place), you get to know your servers.

We had very friendly relationships with ours who were usually great at their job. They work very hard at ensuring everyone is happy.

However, we did notice that service began to slack off a bit towards the end of the cruise. Tables weren’t cleared as frequently, etc.

Additionally, they appear to be a bit understaffed and getting a glass of wine could take forever. We noticed some of the other cruisers becoming impatient.

We usually ended up going directly to the bar to get quicker service.

Viking bills each passenger a set tip amount per day to be shared with all the staff.

On our cruise, it was $20 per day, which came to $140 for the week.

Cruisers also have the option of choosing to increase or decrease this amount, and/or provide tips directly to the staff with whom they interacted the most. This makes the process easy but also flexible for each passenger’s preference.

For the excursion tour guides, we tipped them each individually.

Some were great; others complained about France’s tax system the entire time, which was humorous. This seemed to be a theme among the tour guides, according to other passengers we spoke with.

There are other cruise lines that travel up and down European rivers, similar to Viking.

We frequently saw Avalon Waterways on our journey, but a quick Google search will also show other options. We are not familiar with any of those, so cannot offer recommendations or reviews.

Viking advertises so heavily in the US that for some reason I hadn’t considered there to be other options.

These lines all have various features, typical passengers, etc., so do your homework on these lines as well.

• Book your own travel.
• Eat before you embark or bring food with you if you are hungry.
• Don’t upgrade your stateroom. Book the inexpensive option.
• You do not need electrical converters.
• Bring USB plugs.
• Bring extra hangers for your clothes.
• Buy the Silver Spirits alcohol package.
• Contact your mobile phone carrier to arrange for international service.
• Be willing to explore the towns on your own, if you’re comfortable not being a part of a tour.
• Bring comfortable shoes.
• Bring a small crossbody bag for securely carrying your items while on tours.
• Enjoy the top deck. Take in the sights while traveling during the day.
• Consider other European river cruise lines to see which is the best fit for you.

I was not prepared for the amount of mail and brochures that Viking would be sending through the mail to my home address once we got home. I receive at least two brochures a week. This is a negative for this review of Viking River Cruises.

These are multi-page well-designed booklets, so Viking is spending an insane amount of money on designing, printing, and mailing these to past and future passengers.

Overall, the cruise on Viking was enjoyable and I would consider taking another cruise. However, I’d make a few modifications to my plans, based on the tips outlined above.

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Rhone River

Rhone River cruises explore the beautiful Provence region in southern France. Often, sailings of the Rhone are paired with sailings of the Saone River, which runs through the Burgundy region.

Sample celebrated Cote du Rhone wines in the twin cities of Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage, which face each other across the river. Visit the immense Gothic Palace of the Popes in Avignon, called the "City of Popes" because it was the seat of the papacy in the 14th century. Viviers is a very beautiful old town nestled between hills and the river, and its narrow, cobblestoned lanes invite exploration.

Itineraries also call at 2,000-year-old Lyon, known as France's epicurean center and located at the convergence of the Rhone and Saone. Much of it is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can survey the city from atop Fourviere Hill and explore ancient Roman ruins. More Roman treasures await in Arles, where the vistas inspired artist Vincent Van Gogh, who arrived in 1888 and produced more than 300 works during his tenure here.

Our cruises are hassle-free because all the details are handled for you by experienced tour directors. And in each stop along the way, sightseeing guides show you the top attractions and share their knowledge of the local history, culture and cuisine. Plus, these trips are easy to budget, because so much is included in one price that you pay up front. 

• Emerald: Save up to 77% on river cruises. Prices shown reflect discounts. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Scenic: Save up to 76% on river cruises. Prices shown reflect discounts. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Viking: European River Sale! Save with newly reduced cruise fares and special air offers. Prices shown reflect the cruise discounts. Plus, receive a free Silver Spirits beverage package. Expires September 30. Click here .

• Avalon: Save up to $4,000 per couple on Europe sailings with a special bonus offer. Prices shown reflect discount. Click here .
• AmaWaterways: Save up to $1,000 per couple on river cruises. Prices shown reflect discount. Click here .
• Avalon: Save up to $3,000 per couple on Europe departures. Prices shown reflect discount. Click here .
• Avalon: Save up to $6,000 per couple on cruises worldwide. Prices shown reflect discount. Click here .
• AmaWaterways: AirPlus Offer! Save with special air rates from select gateways on Europe cruises. Expires September 30. Click here .
• CroisiEurope: Save up to 25% off cruises. Prices shown reflect discount. Expires September 30. Click here .
• AmaWaterways: Save up to 20% off the cruise price of sailings. Prices shown reflect discount. Expires September 30. Click here .
• CroisiEurope: Save up to 15% off 2025 cruises. Prices shown reflect discount. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Riviera: Save up to $1,650 per couple on cruises when you book certain cabin categories. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Riviera: Save 50% off 2026 river cruises. Prices shown reflect discount. Click here .
• Viking: End of Summer Sale! Save with reduced cruise fares and special air offers. Prices shown reflect the cruise discounts. Also, book with a reduced deposit of only $25 per person. Expires September 30. Click here .
• AmaWaterways: Save up to 20% off the cruise price of 2026 sailings. Prices shown reflect discount. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Uniworld: Save up to 20% off 2025 river cruises. Prices shown reflect discount. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Riviera: Single supplement waived in all cabin categories on special sailings dedicated to solo travelers. Click here .
• Avalon: Receive free prepaid gratuities on the cruise portion of Active & Discovery sailings (a value of up to $878 per couple depending on the itinerary). This is combinable with most offers. Click here .
• Riviera: Solo travelers pay no single supplement in certain cabin categories on select cruises. Click here .
• AmaWaterways: Save $2,000 per couple off summer sailings. Prices shown reflect discount. Plus, receive a FREE one-category stateroom upgrade in certain cabin categories and a $50 per stateroom onboard credit. Expires September 30. Click here .
• Avalon: Travel with Avalon Waterways and receive a Welcome Back Credit of $100 to $250 per person after your trip. The credit can be applied toward a subsequent trip with Avalon or its sister brands Globus and Cosmos. Click here .

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A Taste of Provence Viking Rhone River Cruise

One of my favorite meals on the Viking Rhone River Cruise from Lyon to Provence was the Taste of Provence lunch.

Viking Cruises typically has one special meal that celebrates the food of a particular country, and this was that meal on this particular cruise.

We were hungry after spending a busy morning roaming around Lyon. I was surprised to learn that the lifestyle in Lyon is often considered to surpass Paris.

There is so much to see in this more than 2,000+-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of course, a morning is not enough to explore, but we had a special lunch back on the longship that we did not want to miss.

If you’re also a foodie, a Viking River Cruise should definitely be on your bucket list. The Rhone River Cruise is my favorite of the French river cruises and has a wonderful itinerary for foodies!

Besides the luxury we experienced on the ship, the incredible excursions, and the new friends we made, we absolutely loved the meals served on the Viking Buri Longship.

Although each meal was spectacular, Viking went over the top with a special meal to celebrate the destination. There is nothing like French food, and Provence is definitely our favorite region.

French Food on Viking’s Rhone River Cruise

When we entered the dining room, our tables were decorated for the occasion. You can always eat in the restaurant or on the Aquavit Terrace. We enjoyed sitting on the Terrace for breakfast each day but chose to eat the larger meals in the dining room with new friends.

Don’t you love a festive celebration? Viking really pulled out all the stops with this one.

Ahh… fresh French bread!

I am perfectly happy with good bread, delicious cheese and a bottle of wine. Seriously. That is a meal for me!

But I will never turn down olives or tapenade.

I could have just sat chatting with friends, munching on appetizers, and drinking wine all afternoon. But there was so much more, and I had to try it all.

Everything was so fresh. If you saw the Viking crew loading fresh produce, meats, and other foods on the ship when we were at port, you would know how important it is to Viking that their guests are happy. We were so appreciative!

The Niçoise salad was fabulous.

You really have to try a little bit of everything. The flavors of French food just can’t compare, and the Viking Rhone River cruise does it so well.

And always, ALWAYS save room for dessert. By the way, these macarons were available every afternoon along with cappuccino, coffee or tea. Every afternoon. So good.

What dessert does your heart desire? I think they had just about anything you could want.

As much as I wanted to try it all, I just couldn’t.

We still had an excursion that afternoon, and we were all in a food stupor. But the show must go on. And our excursion? A cooking class . Oh my.

Visit the Viking River Cruise website to learn more. Thinking an  ocean cruise   is more your style ? Those destinations look fabulous, as well. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures with Viking.

More About Viking Cruises

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I took nearly the exact same excursions on AmaWaterways. Ours were reservation only, but included in the price of the trip All were excellent.

I’ve heard really great things about AmaWaterways. Thanks for sharing this!

Loved your piece on the Viking Lyon Provence cruise! Thank you, Kelly.

Do you know how I might be able to access a sample list of the Optional Tours and Prices for this cruise?

Thank you, Margaret! Of course, you can find everything on the Viking website. Their Anniversary sale is still going on, too. Here’s a link to help you plan: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/lyon-provence/2020-avignon-lyon/index.html

Please let me know if you have questions. I’m happy to help if I can!

Great coverage of the food here. The photos are terrific. I can’t wait to take this cruise.

Thanks so much! You will love it!

Viking River Cruise – “LYON & PROVENCE!”

August 17 – 24, 2025 Join us on the Rhone River (Pre or Post Add-Ons available in Paris, French Riviera, Burgundy, Geneva, Aix-en-Provence and More!) Grand Cities and Quaint Villages along the Rhone! Round Trip Air is $799 pp at the moment (depending upon departure city) Please Ask about Monthly Specials!             

A New Destination! The Danube is a beautiful river to travel, but time to explore another area of Europe via a Viking River Cruise!  This time, we’ll be going on the beautiful and historic Rhone River.  Reserve your cabin ASAP to take advantage of the monthly special from Viking.   Your deposit is only $25 pp during the month of July 2024.  AND you’ll also receive $125 pp off with this group sailing!  Past guests have even more discounts!  Viking River Cruises are fabulous!  I book couples and small groups on Viking as well.  On this cruise, Lyon & Provence, prices begin at $2599 pp for Category F staterooms.  (With the discount, that is $2474 pp.  Staterooms sell out quickly, so please deposit quickly!)  Roundtrip Airfare starts at $799 pp, depending on your departure city!  Trip Insurance available, as well.  Please read on….

What’s Included? Begin in Lyon, France, and continue with included tours in Vienne, Tournon, Viviers, and Arles.  End your river cruise in Avignon, France.  This is an 8 Day journey which celebrates the grand cities and quaint villages along the amazing Rhone River.  Delight in scenic sailings, explore amazing history, and savor a large variety of delicious meals and drinks prepared to your taste.  Here is what your adventure includes: 

• 8 Day Cruise with river-view stateroom
• Scenic Cruising along the Rhone River
• All Meals:  7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches & Dinners, featuring regional specialties and including Welcome Cocktail Reception & Dinner
• 7 Included Guided Tours with audio headset (fabulous!)
• Culture Curriculum:  Learn how to make regional recipes; enjoy musical entertainment highlighting; participate in an Arles painting class; savor local wines; hunt for truffles; and see how chevre cheese is made!
• Wine/beer/soft drinks included with lunch & dinner on board.  Or Upgrade to a Silver Spirit All-Inclusive Drink Package!
• All Port Charges
• Free Wi-Fi, connection speed may vary
• No corkage fee for local wines or beers purchased.  Enjoy!
• Dress is Casual and Relaxed
• Airfare includes all government air taxes/fees as well as all air fuel surcharges
• Group Leader:  Heather Bloom, Travel Specialist, to coordinate and answer all your questions

Videos: “Lyon & Provence”

What to expect on your Viking River Cruise

Itinerary and Dates:

Dates:  Aug 14 – 24, 2025 (River Cruise).  Air Departure and Return to be determined.  (Please Note:  Add-on trips before and after the river cruise are available.  Please ask for details.)

Main Itinerary is as follows:

• Day 1, Lyon, France
• Day 2, Lyon, France
• Day 3, Lyon, France
• Day 4, Vienne, France
• Day 5, Tournon, France/Viviers, France
• Day 6, Arles, France
• Day 7, Avignon, France
• Day 8, Avignon, France  

Your Viking River Cruise Details:

Viking Air Plus: The Air Special for the month of July is $799 pp roundtrip from many gateways!  There is an add-on fee of $150 pp so Heather can work directly with the Viking Air Department to get the best air schedules and so you can fly with friends/family.  (Please ask to confirm your gateway pricing.)  With river cruises the cost for the air may change from month to month.  This is another reason to deposit early. On this cruise airfare includes all government air taxes/fees and fuel surcharges. Our group will be coordinated to fly together, if departing on the same date/departure city.  When using Viking Air, round trip airport transfers are included at your arrival and departure dates.  Air Miles may be used and booked on your own. Please Note:  If arriving earlier and/or staying later than the cruise arrival and departure dates, your roundtrip transfers ARE included when using Viking add-on tours.  If self-touring, transfers are not included, but the address to your ship’s dock will be available.  Air Miles may be used and booked on your own.

Deposits: A $25 pp non-refundable deposit is needed to secure your stateroom.  Your final payment date is based on the special of that month. For further information on cancellations, please see Terms and Conditions .

Trip Insurance: Trip Insurance is highly recommended.  Viking uses Trip Mate Travel Insurance. This insurance includes trip cancellation, mostly due to illness, but other issues may qualify. It also includes Cancellation Fee for Deposits, Trip Interruption, Missed Connections, Travel Delay, Accidental Death or dismemberment, Medical Expenses/Emergency Evac, Baggage and Personal Effects, and Baggage Delay, all up to a certain amount.  There is pre-existing conditions coverage, when insurance payment is received within 7 days of trip deposit.  Please ask for cost details and brochure.

Feel Free to invite to friends! Please Note:  This is a VERY popular getaway!  Rooms are available, but may sell out.  Please deposit NOW for best room availability, air rates, and lower deposit rates!  Welcome Aboard!

Register Now! Please contact Heather to Sign On or for any questions at 231-855-1353 or by email .

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Viking River Cruise

Lyon & provence.

by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 7/18/2024

We were again accompanied by my wife's parents, but we were unable to obtain the air tickets with the offer we had the previous year. Our prior Viking River Cruise (Paris to Normandy) was packaged with a "two for one" airline deal, but not this time. In addition, Viking made reservations with Air France, which would not have been our first choice of airline. Regardless of our concerns, the trip started out normally although we did find ourselves in a very narrow airplane seat. See the bottom of this page for what happened at the concluion of the cruise.

Because we had taken a Viking Cruise in the previous year from Paris to Normandy, Viking had continued to send us emails containing offers that kept getting better & better. At some point where we could no longer ignore the offers, we decided to go for it. Perhaps because the airfare component of the trip was "free", it turned out to be a bit different than we were used to.

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The steps we took to get to the Viking Ship were as follows;

• Stage 1: we flew from Tampa International Airport to Cincinnati, OH .
• Stage 2: we flew from Cincinnati, OH to Paris, France .  As you can no doubt imagine, due to the length of this leg, we upgraded our seats to the "larger seating area" option!
• Stage 3: we flew from Paris, France to Marseille, France .

We decided to "take" the Viking free air fare even though it placed us into economy seating. Yes, that is a very uncomfortable way to travel anywhere and we would never do this kind of thing again! If your tolerance level for uncomfortable airplane seating can be overcome by "no cost tickets", then perhaps your experience(s) might be different than ours.

Trip Beginnings/Planning

Upon arrival in Marseilles, we collected our luggage and met the Viking River Cruises representative, who got us onto their bus, and took us to Avignon, France where we boarded the Viking Heimdal . The Viking Staff were friendly & efficient, ontime, and their attention to detail was appreciated, because all of us were jet lagged !

The Viking Heimdal is a relatively new ship for Viking, it was built in Avignon and launched in March 2014. At 443 feet in length, it is longer than our first Viking trip (the Viking Spirit) in 2014 (that ship is 375 feet long).

Click here to read a review of the Viking Heimdal Cruise Ship on the Cruise Critic Website.

Day 1 / Ship moved to Avignon, France         Map

This is an interesting city, still surrounded by massive stone walls and containing the "home of the popes" during the period 1309–77 when the popes took up residence here, instead of at Rome, primarily because of the political conditions during that time.

Quick History: King Philip IV of France was instrumental in securing the election of Clement V, a Frenchman, to the papacy in 1305. This was an unpopular outcome in Rome, where factionalism made Clement's life as pope stressful. To escape the oppressive atmosphere, in 1309 Clement chose to move the papal capital to Avignon, which was the property of papal vassals at that time.

Day 2 / Day Trip to Arles, France         Map

The ship moved from Avignon, south to Tarascon at 5AM (approximately 30 kilometers), which is just north of Arles. Viking was not able to moor the ship at a pier in Arles, so they utilized a mooring location on the river 15 kilometers north of Arles.

Viking offered a day trip via charter bus to Arles, so we decided to take advantage of the event. These bus tours are well organized by Viking, they are comfortable and the 15 kilometer ride to Arles did not require a long ride.

Day 3 / Day Trip to Châteauneuf-du-Pape         Map

This is one of the most famous subregions of the southern part of the Rhone Valley. The vineyards are located around Chateauneuf-du-Pape and in the neighboring villages of Bedarrides, Courthézon and Sorgue between Avignon and Orange. Our visit was via a Viking Bus Tour with an english speaking tour guide, so our tour guide was constantly attempting to educate us!

Day 4 / Tournon-sur-Rhône         Map

These locks are located on the Rhône River (24 kilometers north of Avignon), and as you can easily see, the limited height inside the lock is the primary reason why the River Cruise Ships on the Rhône have to leave the sun deck in the collapsed position. On our River Seine Viking Cruise the previous year, all of the locks were open at the top, so the ships could always leave their sun decks in the upright position during the entire cruise.

Our ship passed through these locks on the way to Tournon-sur-Rhône. Click here for a really good Google Image of the River and the locks.

Day 5 / Ship moved to Vienne, France         Map

The ship departed Tournon at 7PM on day 4, set to arrive in Vienne at midnight. It is Easter Sunday, and it is not only chilly outside this morning, but most things are closed here in Vienne. The ship is docked on the west side of the River Rhône, and to get to the other side, we hiked over a pedestrian bridge.

Day 6 / Ship moved to Lyon, France         Map

The ship arrived in Lyon at 3PM, and we initially tied up at the Quai Claude Bernard on the eastern side of the Rhône River. This is a very scenic location, adjacent to the Université Lumière Lyon and only 2.2 kilometers from the Place des Terreaux.

The Rhône River splits away from the Saône River at the southern tip of the Lyon City Peninsula and swings east on the north side of Lyon. The Saône River continues it's northward march to Vioménil, France. We were told by Viking personnel, that the Saône River was too high to allow the Viking Heimdal to proceed to it's usual location.

Since the city tour we are interested in takes place on day 7 (Tuesday), we decided to go ahead and do our "own" walking tour and so we headed off to Place Bellecour, and tramp around the Rue de Victor Hugo and Rue de la Charite. The goal was to see some of the city, walk off some of the good food being served on the Viking Heimdal , and to earn our next meal!

Day 6 / Perouges, France Tour         Map

Perouges is another of those amazing medieval walled & cobblestoned little villages that are all over Europe, but each is just different enough, to where it is always interesting to visit them. It is a medieval walled town 19 miles northeast of Lyon and is perched on a small hill that overlooks the plain of the Ain River.

Our visit was organized by the Viking River Cruises team as a bus tour day trip. Perouges is only 40 kilometers from Lyon but it is as close to a "living museum" as you can get with over 80 buildings listed as historic monuments.

Day 7 / Lyon, France Tour         Map

As this was the last day of the River Rhone Cruise, we did quite a bit of exploring. We hiked into the city and found a good restaurant - we were looking for a restaurant where we could all enjoy mussels & french fries - and we succeeded.

Day 8 / Cruise Departure Day         Map

This was the "end of the cruise - departure day" and we woke up that morning to discover that not only had the French Air Traffic Controllers gone on strike sometime during the night, we also found to our horror, that the strike had caused many domestic flights to be cancelled. Including our Lyon to Paris flight, that was due to depart Lyon Airport at 1PM.

I'm not going to fully describe this part of the trip, suffice it to say that we eventually were able to get a semblance of normality restored, and we finally got back to Sarasota at 1:45AM. If it had not been for some very, very nice Air France personnel at the Lyon Airport, we would probably still be in Lyon today!

Trip Summary         Map

This was our second Viking River Cruise, and it is difficult to compare it to our 2014 River Seine cruise . The stops we made on this cruise were very good, however, the Rhone River locks are frequent and are quite low compared to the River Seine lock systems. The River bridges are also quite low, which meant that the sun-deck area of the ship was never open throughout the entire cruise. Considering how chilly it frequently was, the sun-deck would probably have not been utilized often. As just an example, average temperatures for Lyon, France are in the mid to lower 50's (farenheit).

The wine on this ship was as good as the River Seine cruise, but the food was not quite as good. It is difficult to put the food into perspective, it was well prepared, it was good quality, but it was not as enjoyable as what we had on the previous cruise. Bear in mind that it was not "bad", it was just not as good when you compare the two ships, perhaps due to the chef?

Viking changes various parameters of this cruise from time to time, so you should Click here to go the Viking Site and read about this cruise in more detail.

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Viking River Cruise Lyon & Provence - Ports of Call

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Lyon & Provence

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Lyon, Provence & the Rhineland

Highlights of rhône river cruises.

The Rhône River winds its way into France from the Rhône Glacier in Valais, Switzerland, meeting the Saône at Lyon. Its waters flow past some of the country’s most significant historic landmarks, some dating back to Roman times. Blanketed with lavender and sunflower fields that display their full color in summer, the Rhône’s Provence region has long been an inspiration to artists. Above all, its vineyards and farms produce France’s famed wines and cuisine. Here are a few sample highlights of a Rhône River cruise:

• Avignon, “City of Popes,” and its historic palace
• The massive Roman arena of Arles
• Espace van Gogh, the Arles hospital that treated the artist
• Charming riverside village of Viviers
• The spectacular gorges of the Ardèche plateau
• Lyon, France’s grand culinary capital
• Distinctive wineries and cellars of Beaujolais

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2024-2027 RIVER CRUISE AND AIR FARES:  Offer applies to bookings made from September 1-30, 2024. Terms & conditions for select promotions may vary. $25 deposit is applicable to all River itineraries. Special fares plus up to FREE International airfare valid on select departures of Grand European Tour, Lyon Provence & the Rhineland, European Sojourn and Capitals of Eastern Europe, Paris to the Swiss Alps, Cities of Light, London, Paris & D-Day, Rhine & Main Explorer . Airfares may vary on other gateways & departures. Airfare does not have to be purchased to get cruise\cruisetour offer. All prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Additional restrictions may apply. 2024 : Pay in full by September 30, 2024 or at time of booking if within 120 days of departure. 2025 : Pay in full by October 31, 2024. 2026 : Pay in full by April 30, 2025. 2027 : Pay in full by January 15, 2026. Offers expires September 30, 2024.

$25 DEPOSIT:  For itineraries 35 days or less, a $25 deposit applies to February 2025 & onward departures; for itineraries greater than 35 days, a $25 deposit applies to April 2025 & onward departures; World Cruise products excluded; call for details.

AIR UPGRADE:  Upgrade to Premium Economy air from $799 per person or Business Class air from $3,499 per person based on select gateways and dates. Additional airline-imposed baggage charges may apply; for more information visit  Airline Luggage Restrictions  . Air prices are per person based on cruise/cruisetour check-in date and include transfers plus all government taxes/fees of approximately $160 and air fuel surcharges. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until full payment of air is received. For more information about customized air services and US gateways, visit the Viking Air Plus page.

GENERAL RESTRICTIONS:  Cruise fares listed are cruise only in U.S. dollars, per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement savings are off applicable rates. Cruise fares listed are valid for U.S. residents only. All fares and offers are for new bookings only and are subject to availability, may not combinable with other offers except Viking Explorer Society Travel Credits and Viking Referral Rewards, are capacity-controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Special fares are based upon published full brochure fares; cruise fares do not include pre-paid charges, optional facilities, and personal charges, as defined in the terms and conditions of the  Passenger Ticket Contract  which may be viewed elsewhere on this website. Full brochure fares may not have resulted in actual sales in all stateroom categories and may not have been in effect during the last 90 days. Promotional fares may remain in effect after the expiration date. Air promotion applies to roundtrip flights only from select Viking Cruises U.S. gateways and includes airport-to-ship or hotel transfers, air taxes and air fuel surcharges. Roundtrip airport transfers are included when air is purchased with a cruise or cruisetour package; if air is not purchased from Viking, transfers may be purchased separately. All transfers must be in conjunction with a Viking-purchased cruise, cruisetour, land extension or extra hotel nights. Viking reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares at any time. For up-to-date prices, please call Viking or your Travel Agent. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Complete terms and conditions may be found in the  Passenger Ticket Contract .

AIR OFFER RESTRICTIONS:  Offer expires September 30, 2024.

NOTE: U.S. flights depart one day prior to check-in date. Paid Business or Premium Economy Class may require travel in economy on flights within North America or Europe. Premium economy is limited to specific airlines and we may not be able to accommodate based on aircraft type and availability. Roundtrip airport transfers are included when air is purchased with a cruise or cruisetour package; if air is not purchased from Viking, transfers may be purchased separately. All transfers must be in conjunction with a Viking-purchased cruise, cruisetour, land extension or extra hotel nights. Air prices are per person based on cruise/cruisetour check-in date and include transfers plus all government taxes/fees of approximately $160 and air fuel surcharges. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until full payment of air is received.

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Vladivostok (Russia, Primorsky Krai)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Asia

Local Time 2024-09-29 11:54

Vladivostok is a port city located in Russia (northeastern Asia), and on Golden Horn Bay (Sea of Japan). The city covers a total area of approx 331 km2 (128 mi2) and has population around 0,6 million.

The port city is the terminus of Russia's largest Pacific railway system (Trans-Siberian Railroad) and also the main naval base of Russia's Pacific fleet. The harbor is being kept open by icebreakers during winter months and serves as base for whaling and fishing vessels. Far Eastern State University is also here. The city is a major center of scientific research.

After the port city is named the 2015-built icebreaker Vladivostok .

The town was founded in 1860 as a military outpost and grew rapidly after 1903 when the Trans-Siberian railway was completed. During 1918-1922, Vladivostok was occupied by Japanese and Allied forces.

Port Vladivostok is ice-free the whole year-round. In 2002, the port had a foreign shipping trade turnover worth USD 275 million. In 2015, a special economic zone was established within the free port.

The city's main industries/employers are the Russian naval base, cargo shipping, commercial fishing. Fishing accounts for about 4/5 of the commercial production. A major source of revenue is the Japanese cars import.

In 2012, the city hosted the 24th Summit of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum on Russky Island. In preparation for the event, the city's infrastructure was improved and two giant cable-stayed bridges were built - Zolotoy Rog Bridge (over Golden Horn Bay, city center) and Russky Bridge (connecting with Russky Island).

The 4-lane Russky Bridge (across Eastern Bosphorus strait) is the world's longest cable-stayed bridge ever constructed -(length 3,1 km / 10,200 ft). Its longest span is 1,1 km (3622 ft). The bridge's clearance above is 70 m (230 ft). The construction cost around USD 1,1 billion.

In August 2016, the Chinese ship Chinese Taishan (former Costa Voyager) made a maiden port call. Liner's operator (Bohai Cruises) soon announced the company's decision to include Vladivostok in its regularly scheduled roundtrip itineraries.

On July 31, 2017, the Peace Boat-chartered cruise ship Ocean Dream made a maiden port call in Vladivostok, with around 1200 tourists from Japan and South Korea. The voyage departed Port Kobe (Japan) on July 27th and visited Yeosu (Korea) , Vladivostok, Hakodate (Japan) , Sakaiminato-Matsue (Japan) and Busan (Korea) .

In 2017, cruise ships managed by Costa Asia ( Carnival Corporation 's subsidiary) visited Port Vladivostok 6 times. The first vessel ( Costa Victoria - max capacity 2314 passengers) docked here in May 2016. In 2017, the cruise port handled 13 ship calls. In 2016, their number was 6.

In 2018, the area near the cruise berth was dredged to allow docking of bigger vessels. On February 26 was opened port's season 2018 with Amadea ( Phoenix Reisen ) carrying over 500 passengers. Among 2018's highlights were the maiden calls by the large liners MSC Splendida (3900 pax), Costa Serena (3600 pax) and Costa Fortuna (3250 pax). On May 12, 2018, Costa Serena became the ever-largest cruise ship docking in Vladivostok. The liner carried over 3000 passengers and crew. It arrived from South Korea (roundtrip Busan itinerary) being chartered by Lotte Tours. Tourists were greeted with a live performance by Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University students (drummers, singers, dancers). The seaport and Vladivostok tour operators arranged a total of 79 buses each with a Korean-speaking tour guide.

In 2019 (March through October) were booked for berthing a total of 16 ships, among which the RCI-Royal Caribbean 's Quantum and Spectrum . Other large-sized liners were Costa Serena (5 times), Costa neoRomantica (3 times), Diamond Princess , Holland America 's Maasdam and Westerdam , Ocean Dream .

Season 2019 started on March 20 with MS Albatros (Phoenix Reisen), with estimated nearly 30,000 cruise passengers (plus ~70,000 ferry passengers) to be handled at Vladivostok Sea Terminal. In 2019, Vladivostok also restarted its homeport operations with locals and tourists able to book cruises leaving from Vladivostok (mainly to ports in Korea and Japan) and fly-cruise deals (via air/sea programs). There are plans for establishing a local (Russian) cruise line to operate itineraries to other Russian Far East destinations.

On Sept 9, 2019, Spectrum OTS became the ever-largest passenger ship to visit a Russian Federation port. The vessel docked in Vladivostok and was boarded by 200+ Russian VIP guests. Next is listed the 8-day "Russia and Japan Cruise" itinerary roundtrip from China.

Via Vladivostok, the Russian cargo shipping company FESCO serves three express routes connecting Russia with South Korea, China and Japan - Busan to Moscow (15-days transit launched June 2018), Shanghai to Moscow (20-days transit launched January 2017) and Toyama to Moscow (15-days transit launched April 2018). The new services allow delivery time reduction achieved by implementing new pass-through technology (port-railway). Busan to Vladivostok transit time is 2 days.

In January 2021, FESCO for the first time exported containerized grain delivered from Khabarovsk. The TEU-containers were shipped to China's Qingdao and Chiwan ports. FESCO's Russia-China service is 2-week (transit time 14 days). FESCO started bulk shipping of gran (from Krasnoyarsk) to China in 2018 with the new Siberia-to-Far East (Kamchatka and Magadan) service via FESCO-owned trains.

In December 2021, FESCO acquired JSC Port Gaydamak (FEMSTA containership terminal) which was planned for modernization and expansion in 2024. The facility is used mainly for transshipment (400,000+ tons of grain annually) and general cargoes. Also in December was inaugurated the "FESCO West Gate Bridge" (2-4-times a month intermodal containership service on the route Vladivostok- Kaliningrad/Baltiysk ) linking the Asia-Pacific countries with Europe. With an estimated transit time of 36 days, the Vladivostok-Kaliningrad service is nearly 1,5 times faster than the Suez Canal alternative.

Vladivostok cruise terminal

Cruise ships dock at Vladivostok Sea Terminal where their passengers are welcomed with a ceremony that includes live performances of traditional Russian dances, folklore songs and drummers. The event is organized by the company Vladivostok Sea Terminal, LLC.

To all passengers are given free city maps and tour guides, provided by Primorsky Region's Tourist Information Center. Traditionally, an outdoor market with Russian souvenirs is also organized for the disembarking tourists.

Vladivostok tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

• In Olga Bay is located the port town Olga (population around 4,000) -  the administrative center of Olginsky District (Primorsky Krai, Russia). The St Olga military post was established in 1860.
• Lazovsky Nature Reserve is accessed through the port town Preobrazhina (aka Preobrazhenie).

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