Viking Excursions

As I indicated in Part 1, we took advantage of the “included tours” in the itinerary, and we were very pleased with their overall quality. The cabins on the Viking ship had headsets and power units which you took along with your tour. These provided good audio reception for you while your tour guide took you on your excursion. After a few moments they became second nature to use, and they were a huge help in staying “tuned in” to your tour guide, especially for anyone with hearing challenges. After the day’s activities, you recharge your units in your cabin for the next day.

Usually you would be assigned a tour group that corresponded to a bus number to take you to your destination (Bus 3, for example.) When you left the ship you were given a boarding pass for reboarding (with your departure time.) This gave you the option of extending your time away, if you wanted to explore on your own. Although the buses might carry a lot of passengers, the tours were smaller groups (10-20,) so you were able to interact with your tour guide easily and see everything.

Exploring France with Viking

We were so impressed with the ship itself and the attentive staff that we probably would have been happy for a few days just staying onboard. But our trip itinerary looked very interesting, and we were anxious to see some of the countryside and the local attractions.

Our particular Viking River Cruise was focused on southern France and some of the best wine producing areas in the country, so those stops were definitely on our radar. Wineries generally offered wine tasting as well as a tour of the grounds and wine making facilities. And obviously they were happy to sell their wine, either for immediate carry out or for shipping back home. Each winery was a bit different than the others, so you weren’t getting repetitive outings.

We also stopped at a number of structures that dated back to the Romans. In Arles we saw the “Amphitheater” which looked very much like a miniature version of the Coliseum in Rome. Some reconstruction was being done there with plans to hold future events in this impressive venue. Roads built by the Romans were still visible in a number of areas, and our tour guides provided plenty of rich detail on the history and significance of the existing structures.

In Avignon we visited the Palace of the Popes, the residence of six popes during the 14th century. It was once a palace and a fortress, and that is exactly what it looks like. Imposing buildings beautifully restored and loaded with relics and artwork.

One impression that was a lasting one with me was the “small town feel” in most of the areas we visited. While these areas were clearly contemporary ones with modern infrastructure and technology, we still saw open spaces and agricultural areas nearby the town centers. Gardens and parks were plentiful, and even the pace of life seemed relaxed. The city of Lyon seemed to be larger than the other stops we made, but it was very manageable in size and had limited buildings of many stories. We saw a great deal of “street art” in Lyon, particularly murals on the sides of buildings. Many of the murals gave you a three-dimensional feeling.

My wife took an excursion to see some Van Gough history (I believe a hospital where he was once institutionalized,) and it included some amazing fields of lavender in bloom. I had decided to take that afternoon off with a good book, and we both enjoyed our choices.

One very popular stop in the latter part of the cruise was to a French chocolate factory and store. Talk about enthusiastic shoppers. The store offered hundreds of varieties of chocolate in all forms, and some of the guests seemed determined to sample them all. The primary excuse given for purchases was for friends and family back home. Needless to say, we helped boost the French economy that day.

On Board Options

After a few days of excursions and full schedules, a quiet day alone can be very attractive. For most who exercised this option they found a peaceful place to read, or they might nap in their cabin. The upper deck had a small track where one could run or walk to get some exercise. Fresh air was easy to find either on the upper deck, on the Aquavit Terrace, or on your own balcony (if you had one.) There were plenty of quiet places aside from your cabin. The ship had a number of comfortable spots for checking your laptop or reading a magazine. The cabins also had televisions with some available movies and programs, but except for the first day, we never had any interest in it.

The captain was pretty visible during the week of our cruise. In fact, most of the staff were available to us on a regular basis – the chef, the cruise director, and the maitre d’. They made a point of educating you about the ship, about the sights you were going to see, about the food and wine you were enjoying, and about Viking in general. The captain invited passengers to stop by the bridge to see the controls and navigation center. That is an interesting stop, although it is a small area, and can only handle a few visitors at a time. You might have to schedule the visit in advance.

When the Cruise is Over

After all the evening parties and entertainment departure day approaches. You get well-briefed on travel arrangements, billing, gratuities, etc. If you opted to purchase the Viking transfers, their staff will bring you to your airport, train station, or hotel. (Many people purchase trip “extensions” which are 2-3 day optional tours following your cruise. On our cruise there was a Paris extension in which you were transported to Paris, lodged in a hotel, and provided a number of tours and activities in Paris. We chose not to go that route, but we planned our own trip to Paris.)

Our friends took off with their Viking guides for their extension while we made arrangements for a cab to the local train station in Chalon sur Saone. We bought tickets for Paris and enjoyed a very comfortable ride into the city. We had traveled on European trains before, and we again marveled at their efficiency and comfort. In Paris we easily got a cab to our hotel, the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel. This was another “points redemption” stay using Marriott Bonvoy points. We planned to be there 3 nights before heading to Charles DeGaulle Airport for our trip home.

We got to our room and found a wonderful wine and cheese plate waiting for us. Since it was 5 o’clock somewhere, we tried several new types of cheese along with a nice half bottle of Bordeaux. It was a great way to be welcomed to the “City of Light.”

A breakfast buffet was included in our package, and it was exceptional. The hotel had a garden courtyard where the breakfast was served, and it was everything you would hope for in a French hotel. Breads and pastries, fresh fruit, eggs, breakfast meats, cereals, etc. And the coffee was superb. Another great feature of this hotel was it’s proximity to the Eiffel Tower - easily within walking distance.

Paris for the First Time

Now we’re ready to take on Paris. Where do you start? The Eiffel Tower restaurant? The Louvre? The Orsay Museum? Notre Dame? Prior to starting our trip we had gotten advice from a lot of people, and it seemed everyone had a different approach and recommendations. In the end, we took the advice of a good friend who had lived in Paris for several years. He urged us not to miss the “real Paris” in a rush to get to all of the tourist spots.

He urged us to engage in some people-watching out in the park areas around the Eiffel Tower. Buy a bottle of wine, get a fresh baguette and cheese, and have a picnic out on the grass, he said. It sounded great, and frankly we were a bit tired out from our travels and excursions, and at least one day of savoring the local atmosphere really sounded good. After our picnic we wandered around the Eiffel Tower area and walked to some outstanding flower markets.

His other advice was to choose a limited number of sites rather than try to see all of Paris in a very short time. He recommended a dinner cruise that sailed the Seine River for several hours. We did exactly that, and it was a fabulous way to see the city at night. The cruise company was Bateax-Mouches, and their meal was excellent. It was the sights of the city, though, that impressed us the most. There was plenty of time to enjoy dinner, watch the major sights of Paris pass you by, and walk outside on the deck to get some amazing photos.

My wife is an art lover, so I couldn’t get away that easily. We did visit the Notre Dame cathedral, the Orsay Museum, and the Rodin Garden during our time in Paris. The museum and Notre Dame had significant waiting lines, but they were expected, and they moved along. We didn’t try to see the Louvre, mainly because of the long wait, and some of our friends dissuaded us from trying that attraction. If you plan on visiting Paris for more than 3 days or so, you might find the Paris Pass worthwhile. It covers some 60 popular attractions with discounts or expedited entrance, and currently an adult 2-day pass is priced at 130 Euros.

Ready to Head Home

A month or two before this trip my doctor had started me on blood thinners. And of course, as soon as I was in a foreign country I decided to get a late-night bloody nose. Not sure why I got it, but I could not stop it no matter what I did. Pinch your nose, head back, head forward – better check the Internet for advice. After 30 minutes or so I was really worried. I was making no progress, and it seemed as if I had lost gallons of blood already. Slightly embarrassed, I called the front desk and asked if they could send up a paramedic.

15 minutes later two men came with an ambulance. They spoke no English, so between sign language and the front desk clerk we found out they wanted 125 Euros to bring me to a hospital. We didn’t have that cash around, so the hotel clerk agreed to pay the bill and put it on our room bill. The drivers plugged my nostrils with tissue and headed to the hospital.

They brought me to a hospital across town that looked like a prison. I think it was for drunks and derelicts, because we saw (and heard) plenty of them there. My wife tried her best to communicate with the reception agent and was told there was a long wait (many hours.) Somehow she got me in earlier than that, and I was able to speak with a young doctor with good English skills. She helped me out, cauterized the wound, and cleaned me up. She also gave me a lesson in the proper way to stop the bleeding. A long taxi ride back to the hotel, and we were in bed by 4 am.

I tell this personal story to illustrate a few points in my final section: Lessons Learned.

Lessons Learned

Get Travel Insurance – This was one of the first times I had ever bought travel insurance, and it proved to be well worth the expense. The episode with the bloody nose cost me an ambulance ride, a taxi ride, and various other medical treatment costs from the French hospital. In the end all of my expenses were covered, and I realize I was lucky; it could have been much worse.

Expect the Unexpected – This was true for many events in our trip. Certainly, the midnight trip to the hospital, but also the taxi strike, the lost B&B, and the train strike fall into this category.

Build Extra Time in Your Schedule – This is probably true of any schedule, but I think it’s especially true of a trip overseas. Flights get delayed, strikes happen, reservations get mixed up, and events get overbooked or cancelled. Having a little time to deal with inevitable problems is the only way to keep your sanity.

Viking is a Great Brand - Our first venture with Viking was a big hit. We loved everything about the experience – the service, the personal care, the food, the activities, the guests, etc. After this first trip we went on two additional river cruises (to Eastern Europe and Portugal.) We have an Ocean Cruise planned with Viking to South American in early 2020 - a longer (and more expensive) trip with our Viking hosts. Be looking for my blogs on those trips.

Oct 11 Our First Viking River Cruise (Part 2)

Oct 13 Our First Viking River Cruise (Part 1)

Related Posts