About Your Trip>On the Ship

Beverages

Hot coffee and tea are free all day. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are available for an additional charge. Complimentary bottles of water are placed in your stateroom each day; additional bottles are available for purchase. You may bring local wine aboard and enjoy it with your meals for a modest corkage fee.

We do offer two beverages packages that may be of interest: our Silver Spirits package and a non-alcoholic beverage package. Here is a link to details about what is covered by these two beverage packages and the order form, which gives package prices. For your convenience, a typical bar menu from our ships, including a range of cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks, can be found here.

Clothing suggestions

Dress aboard and ashore is casual; we suggest you dress comfortably and bring sturdy walking shoes for sightseeing excursions. Dinner attire is “evening casual,” and the Captain’s Dinner is dressy, but not formal.

Cuisine & dining room service

All meals aboard are prepared by local chefs under the guidance of our European management team. Meals are open seating during set meal times—no table reservations are accepted. Room service is not available.

Dietary needs

Guests requiring special diets such as vegetarian, low salt, diabetic or low cholesterol meals must alert Viking River Cruises one month prior to departure and inform the Maitre d’ when on board. The chefs will make reasonable efforts to accommodate these requests.

Electricity

Onboard electricity is 220V; for more detailed information on plugs and adapters click here. Staterooms will have one or two 115V outlets for North American guests to use with shavers, etc., in the bathroom and/or desk area.

Fitness equipment

Some ships have fitness equipment, but most do not. Guests enjoy getting their exercise during daily shore excursions, and promenade decks provide opportunities for “power walks” while enjoying the scenery.

Hair dryers & amenities

Your ship has hair dryers for guest use, as do most hotels. Your stateroom amenities include shower gel, shampoo, lotion, shower cap and vanity kit.

Internet access

Most of our ships offer free wireless access to the internet. You may bring your laptop or use shipboard computers. More detailed information is available elsewhere in this section of the website; select Telephone & Internet from the menu at the right.

Laundry

Laundry services are available for a fee; we regret that clothes cannot be dry cleaned. Typical lists of laundry charges are available here—please note that prices are subject to change.

Europe laundry list
China laundry list
Russia laundry list
Ukraine laundry list

Medical services

In China and Russia, there is a small clinic and a physician onboard your ship; however, the physician may not speak fluent English. A staff member fluent in English will assist you. On European ships, medical care is readily available using local resources. If you are feeling ill, inform the Reception desk immediately.

Onboard language

The onboard language is English. Your Tour Escort, Program Director, key staff and tour guides all speak English.

Onboard shopping

Each ship has an onboard shop area offering film, Viking River Cruises logo items, souvenirs and select toiletries. Our China ship also offers a tailor who offers custom-made silk jackets and dresses, neckties and other items.

Other services

Most ships offer a library where reading material, games and puzzles may be borrowed free of charge. A few ships have additional services, such as a hair salon or massage services. Access detailed information about each ship from our fleet pages or within any itinerary.

Safes

Please keep all jewelry and valuables in your stateroom safe.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted indoors on any ship.

Telephone service

Each stateroom has its own telephone that can be used for stateroom-to-stateroom calls. Ship-to-shore calls can be placed at the Reception Desk, and charges will be added to your shipboard account. The phones function via satellite and there may be times when reception is not possible. More detailed information is available elsewhere in this section of the website; select Telephone & Internet from the menu at the right.

Televisions

Each stateroom has a color television. Depending upon satellite transmission, most ships receive CNN, BBC and other English-language programming. There are usually itinerary-specific films as well.

Viking News & onboard activities

The onboard daily newsletter, Viking News, features information about daily activities, shore excursions and tour departure times.

Emergency contact information

If there is an emergency and you must be contacted while traveling, your family/friends should attempt to reach you directly by contacting the ship or hotel. The ship’s phone and fax systems operate on mobile reception and may not get good reception throughout the trip. If unsuccessful, your family/friends can call the Viking River Cruises toll free number (1-877-668-4546) during our normal business hours. (Monday-Friday 5:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. All times are Pacific Time).

Ship phone numbers

A list of ship phone numbers can be found here.

Phoning home

If you are phoning the United States or Canada from a foreign country, the country code is 001.

International mobile phones

If you are planning to make or receive phone calls on a non-emergency basis, you should know that your cell phone may not work overseas. For your convenience, we provide international mobile phones for rent through a partner—more information about this program can be found here.

Internet

All Viking ships have internet access. Our ships in Europe, Russia and Ukraine have free wi-fi, so you can bring your laptop and get online at any time. Alternatively, each ship has a few computers for guest use; there are desktop machines in Russia for use free of charge, and laptops in Europe that guests may rent for a nominal fee based on amount of time used. Guests who bring laptops to Russia may wish to bring a LAN cable for use in their stateroom; this may work a bit better than the wireless LAN in rural areas along the river.

In China there is an internet café with desktop stations for guest use free of charge. There is no onboard wireless network in China so you will not be able to get internet service on your own computer on the ship, although you may be able to do so in hotels. In Egypt, there are two computers on board each ship that can be used for a nominal fee based on amount of usage. The ships also offer shipwide wireless internet access for guests who bring their own computer.

Please note that shipboard service may be unreliable during certain parts of the journey. The internet connection functions via cellular service or satellite, and there may be times when reception is not possible and/or when the connection is quite slow. For this reason, we recommend only checking and sending email. We do not recommend surfing the Web or downloading large files.

Weather

China weather chart
Egypt weather chart
Europe weather chart
Russia/Ukraine weather chart

For live weather reports and forecasts, you can visit either weather.com or CNN Weather.

What to bring

We suggest bringing comfortable, casual clothing. Ties and jackets are not required; there are no formal nights although some guests choose dressier clothing for the Captain’s Dinner. Consider dressing respectfully when visiting places of worship and other religious sites where you may be denied entry if wearing clothing considered to be inappropriate or too revealing. Your Tour Escort can assist you with any questions. Also, please consider baggage weight restrictions on the intra-China flights when packing.

Here is a short list of items you might want to bring with you:
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Dressier shoes
• Collapsible umbrella/lightweight rain gear
• Lightweight jacket/warm sweater/sweatshirt
• Sunglasses, sun hat or visor
• Toiletries (including medical remedies)
• Warm coat, gloves and water-resistant footwear (as needed for cooler months)

Pack in your carry-on baggage

We suggest you bring copies of your key travel documents (passport information page, airline tickets, credit card numbers and insurance information) and carry them separately in case you lose your originals. You might also want to consider packing the following items:
• All needed medications, including prescriptions, in their original, labeled containers
• Eyeglasses, contacts, contact lens solution
• Important papers and travel documents
• Camera gear, film, extra memory cards (digital cameras), extra batteries
• Valuables

Optional items

Here is a list of optional items to consider bringing with you:
• Electric converter/adapter for North American appliances (220V)
• Travel alarm clock, travel flashlight, binoculars, anti-bacterial wipes and/or hand sanitizer
• Small calculator for foreign exchange calculations
• Travel journal/notepad and/or reading material
• Small, basic sewing kit/extra buttons; pack scissors in checked bags
• Address list or pre-addressed labels for sending postcards

Note: Most hotels and Reception onboard have hair dryers available for guest use. Also, laundry service (no dry cleaning) is available onboard for a fee.

What not to bring

Make sure you are aware of current regulations about items you should not pack into a suitcase or carry on with you. Here is a link to TSA’s list of prohibited items.

Reading Lists for China

China’s Cultural Delights

Imperial Jewels of China

Roof of the World

Yangtze Explorer

Reading Lists for Egypt

Pathways of the Pharaohs

Nile Explorer

Reading Lists for Europe

Cities of Light

Danube Holiday Explorer

Danube Holiday Delight

Danube Waltz

Eastern European Odyssey

Elegant Elbe

France’s Finest

Grand European Tour

Paris & the Heart of Normandy

Portraits of Southern France

Rhine Getaway

Romantic Danube

Romantic Danube & the Passionsspiele

Treasures of the Rhine

Tulips & Windmills

Vineyards & Vistas

Reading Lists for Russia & Ukraine

Footsteps of the Cossacks

Waterways of the Czars

Currencies & exchange rates

Local currencies vary with the regions where we travel:

• China uses the renminbi (RMB), whose basic unit is the yuan
• Egypt uses the Egyptian pound
• Most of Europe uses the euro, except for Hungary which uses the forint and the U.K. which uses the British pound
• Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar
• Israel uses the shekel
• Jordan uses the Jordanian dinar
• Russia uses the ruble
• Ukraine uses the hryvnia

Current exchange rates are available in the financial sections of newspapers and at: xe.com or CNN Money.

Exchanging currency or travelers checks

Unfortunately, your ship will not be able to change money for you or accept travelers checks for payment of your shipboard account. You may be able to change cash or travelers checks at some hotels, most banks and exchange bureaus for a fee.

In China:
Chinese law prohibits exchanging cash or travelers checks onboard your ship. To change Chinese currency back to U.S. dollars, euros or other currencies, you will need to provide all receipts and currency declarations. Because this process can be quite time-consuming, we suggest exchanging currency in smaller increments, as needed.

In Russia/Ukraine:
Russian and Ukrainian currency is regulated. Change your hard currency (U.S. dollars, euros, etc.) only at official exchange points and use only rubles or hryvnia as cash (by law, our ships cannot exchange cash or travelers checks for hryvnia). A fee will be charged. The local people will be happy to accept your dollars for tips, taxi rides and souvenirs, but it is technically not allowed.

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)

ATMs are a good source of cash overseas; however, they may or may not be conveniently located in the larger cities and may be rare in smaller towns along the rivers. And, your itinerary may not always allow you sufficient time to locate one. Your Program Director or tour guide can probably help you.

When available, ATMs dispense local currency for internationally accepted ATM cards and/or credit cards, and have a service fee of approximately 3%. If you are planning to use ATMs, you should confirm with your bank prior to departure that your ATM/credit card and Personal Identification Number (PIN) will work abroad.

Credit cards

Euro card, MasterCard, Visa and American Express cards are accepted in all countries in major shops, restaurants and hotels as well as to settle your shipboard account. Before you depart, we recommend that you alert your credit card companies that you plan to use your card(s) on your trip as they will often refuse to honor credit cards if they notice irregular and/or overseas activity.

Currency on board & your shipboard account

In China:
The onboard currency is the renminbi, whose basic unit is the yuan. All onboard purchases are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your trip, you may pay in cash (renminbi, U.S. dollars, euros, Swiss francs or pounds), or by credit card (your bill will be converted at the current exchange rate). The ship cannot accept travelers checks for payment of your shipboard account. Please review your shipboard bill upon checkout so that we can more easily assist you with any questions you may have. Note that all shipboard purchases will appear on your credit card statement as “CQ New Century Cruise.”

In Egypt:
Onboard purchases are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your trip, you may settle your account by credit card; your bill will be converted at the current exchange rate. The ship cannot accept travelers checks for payment of your shipboard account. Please review your shipboard bill carefully upon checkout so that shipboard personnel can assist you with any questions you may have at that time.

In Europe:
The onboard currency is the euro. All onboard purchases are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your trip, you may pay in cash (U.S. dollars or euros), or by credit card (your bill will be converted at the current exchange rate). Unfortunately, travelers checks cannot be used for payment of your shipboard account. Please review your shipboard bill upon checkout so that we can more easily assist with any questions you may have.

In Russia/Ukraine:
The onboard currency is the “unit,” an artificial currency aligned with the euro (1 unit = 1 euro). All onboard purchases are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your trip, you may pay in cash (rubles, U.S. dollars or euros), or by credit card (your bill will be converted at the current exchange rate). The ship cannot accept travelers checks for payment of your shipboard account. Please review your shipboard bill upon checkout so that we can more easily assist with any questions you may have.

Purchasing items

Many locations will accept travelers checks or credit cards. For incidentals and small vendors, you may be able to use the U.S. dollar in small denominations, but we recommend getting some local currency.

Customs

Many countries have laws against the purchase/export of certain items, including antiquities, cultural property and certain animal products. Additionally, U.S. laws prohibit the import of certain items. You can review current restrictions as well as duty free limits by clicking this link.

Value Added Tax (VAT)

Many countries have a national “sales tax” (called value added tax or VAT) that is levied on most goods and services. In some cases and with the proper documentation from the point of purchase, it is possible to have a portion of this tax refunded to you on items taken out of a country in unused condition. Depending upon flight schedules and timing, it may be possible to receive a refund by applying at the airport kiosk before departure.

• Airport (and hotel) porters – $1 U.S. per bag
• Tour Escort/Egyptologist – $10 U.S. per person per day
• Local guides – $5 U.S. per person, per day*
• Coach drivers – $1-$3 U.S. per person, per day*
• Housekeeping staff (ship or hotel) – $1 U.S. per person, per day
• Restaurant wait staff – Restaurants often add a service charge to bills, but an additional tip of 5%-10% is customary
• Viking River Cruises Guide/Host (during land or extension programs) – $3-$5 U.S. per person, per day of service

*Remember to tip local guides and drivers at the end of each tour in cash, as you are not likely to see them again.