Viking River Cruise: Outstanding Food, Unforgettable Excursions and New Relationships

One of my favourite moments of the cruise aboard the river boat Viking Heimdal was the moment my wife Brenda and I arrived at the dock. After landing in Lyon and catching a cab to our boat, the crew took our suitcases and guided us into a shimmering lobby lined with polished windows where we were promptly handed complimentary drinks. Our eight-day Lyon & Provence adventure on the Rhône River would include stops in Vienne, Tournon and Arles before coming to an end in Avignon.

Following months of planning, a nerve-racking trip to the airport and a bumpy flight but we were finally here. For several minutes we just stood in front of the staircase, relishing what was to come like two eager teenagers at an amusement park ticket window.

“I can’t wait to check out this boat and see where the river takes us,” I whispered.

Relationships that will last a lifetime

That magical moment of anticipation on our first day climbing aboard Heimdal was fantastic but what happened on our last evening during our cruise in Avignon was equally memorable.

Over a delicious seared sea bass fillet dinner our table and several well-wishers sang happy birthday to 92-year-old Morris, who was on his third Viking voyage with his second wife Joan. As luck would have it, the couple had met on an earlier cruise and were having a marvelous time keeping the magic alive on the Rhône.

“I had taken my late wife on a Viking Cruise, so a couple years later I decided to take a cruise by myself to honour her memory,” said Morris. “It was on that cruise that I met Joan. And a year later, we were married.”

It’s not hard to see why Viking has such a loyal base of customers like Morris. Several people on our cruise were seasoned Viking veterans who joyfully shared stories of their exploits over cocktails. And just as important are the friendships formed with fellow travellers and the genuine connections made with the wonderful crew. In many ways, it’s these experiences and relationships that make a Viking journey so special.

Founded in 1997, Viking has treated approximately 415,000 curious passengers to destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world. Most Viking longships on European rivers carry 190 passengers and share a similar Scandinavian decor. With a fleet of more than 100 ships exploring 21 rivers, five oceans and all seven continents, Viking is a testament to luxury and style.

Their style appeals to Viking’s target audience – older, financially independent tourists who prioritize culture and comfort over low prices, family activities and high-energy entertainment. Viking’s river fleet are not behemoths like Carnival or Royal Caribbean – these boats are smaller and leaner and you won’t find giant buffets, movies theatres, swimming pools, smoking, gyms, malls or children under eighteen on a river boat.

In fact, my wife and I were two of the youngest guests on the boat with the exception of a couple young people in their twenties who were sailing with their parents. While a fun and relaxing experience, the age of the guests gave our cruise a distinctly mellow vibe.

My last experience with a Viking River Cruise was back in 2012 when I travelled to Amsterdam for the christening of the Viking Odin. As one of Viking’s pioneering longships, Odin represented a new chapter in modern European river cruising. At the time, I was fortunate to get a glimpse of what Viking had to offer but I had always hoped to return for a full-length cruise. For that reason I was delighted to be back and interested to see how things had evolved over the years for the organization. Interestingly while the Viking brand has grown considerably since 2012 the winning formula behind its success remains remarkably unchanged, and that’s a good thing. To quote the great American actor Kevin Costner in the baseball movie Bull Durham, “never (mess around) with a winning streak”.

We stayed in a Viking Veranda Stateroom, which offered a nice blend of comfort and elegance. With floor-to-ceiling glass doors, the room feels bright and spacious. Guests can step out onto the veranda to enjoy fresh air and scenic views. I enjoyed being on the veranda when our boat was going through locks. (Photo Courtesy Viking River Cruises)

Get on shore and explore

As luxurious and comfortable as the ship may be, one of the greatest pleasures of travelling with Viking is the opportunity to step ashore and explore the fascinating places along the way. The excursions bring each destination to life, offering new experiences, discoveries and memories.

Outside of the ship itself, one way you are going to meet your new friends is on the excursions. With the exception of the first and last day of our cruise, there was one tour – usually a two to three hour walking tour – included as part of our itinerary. A newsletter, carefully crafted and shared by the ships program director Tryfon Toumpakaris, was provided to us detailing when to be on the bus, along with details outlining the itinerary for the day. The excursions were categorized as ‘easy’, ‘moderate’ or ‘demanding’.

A few examples of included tours were the Beaujolais Wine Country excursion and a tour of the sleepy town of Viviers. One of my favourite included tours was a ride on the Tournon Steam Train, a scenic narrow-gauge heritage steam train operating through the Doux River gorge in the Ardèche department of France.

If you had the energy and were willing to pay for more excitement, guests could add one of the optional tours to your cart. One of these tours was the ‘Flavours of Lyon’ excursion and their scenic ‘Lyon Evening Cruise’. The optional excursion that we chose was a visit to the Pont du Gard Aqueduct,  a three-tiered structure built without mortar by the Romans over 2000 years ago, the Pont du Gard aqueduct carried water to the Roman outpost of Nimes from the springs of Uzes, 31 miles away. Surrounded by hundreds of people bathing in the crisp waters below under a seering sun, the trip to the aqueduct and the Pont du Gard Museum was a sensational adventure.

The excursions are quite good but it pays to be prepared. Most of these tours are walking tours and a lot of these walks happen over cobblestone streets that are older than you are. During our stop in Vieux Lyon, we spent time with our group walking through the streets exploring hidden passageways that went back to medieval days. Bring comfortable shoes and be prepared to burn a few calories going up and down hilly roads under hot summer conditions made worse by global warming.

Jean Martinez, a local Viking guide who is also a guide with the Museum of the Resistance and Deportation in Lyon, says the excursions on all Viking Cruises is a big reason for the brand’s popularity. He was our guide on the Beaujolais Wine Country excursion and also did an onboard presentation about the Museum of French Resistance.

“On a cruise like this one along the Rhône River, what’s really great is that you get to see different sides of France, which I think is really great,” said Martinez. “For example, we begin our journey in Lyon, the largest city of France, and then we head down to the Beaujolais wine country, then we sailed away to our next stop in Vienne. So it’s a mixture of everything.”

The excursions are a wonderful experience but it’s important to say that the ship is also a big part of your trip. Remember, this is your vacation and it’s okay to forgo the excursion and remain on board. Viking may not make ship entertainment its focus but that doesn’t mean the riverboat shouldn’t be enjoyed. Feel free to enjoy a long, slow, uninterrupted breakfast and time enjoying a cold drink on the deck or your patio and give your feet a rest. You can also leave to do your own thing – during our voyage some guests took time to visit local shopping malls or markets, including my lovely wife who has never passed up an opportunity to hunt for a deal.

Viking serves up a first-class dining experience

Viking River Cruises has created an exceptional dining experience. The fare includes all meals, open seating, wine and beer at lunch and dinner and guests are treated to remarkable regional cuisine and classics onboard with panoramic windows with ever-changing views. Without question, gathering for these splendid meals with our new group of friends was one of the highlights of our cruise.

Masterfully prepared by our highly passionate Executive Chef, Teodor Petre, each meal was an enriching culinary experience. Breakfast could be ordered via the waiter but there was also a buffet with a server ready to help guests grab a mouthful before catching their assigned tour buses. You don’t want to be grabbing to go before an excursion, so be sure to get to breakfast early so that you can actually enjoy your meal.

Lunches and dinners were different every day and usually broken down into four categories. The regional tasting menu focuses on a dish specific to the region. On one dinner menu during our trip this included three classic French dishes: Saucisson brioché,  Entrecôte à la Sauce Béarnaise and Crepes Suzette. The rest of the menu was broken down by starters, main courses and desserts. Guests would pick dinner from regional or starters category and select the drink they wanted to go along with their meal, which included a sommelier’s recommendation. It was fun to try different regional dishes but classics were always available. These included the Chef’s Niçoise, a cheeseburger, vegetarian burger and all beef hot dog.

Dinners were always stirring on board the ship, with everyone brimming with anticipation of one of Chef Petre’s creations following an exhausting day on a tour. While sailing past Chasse-sur-Rhone I chose the Mediterranean chicken breast with basil risotto, zucchini and cherry tomatoes. There was no need to wear formal attire and most guests elected to dress business to smart casual. Another piece of advice I can offer about the meals is that the menu is a guide. Unlike many restaurants where a menu is often set in stone, the staff on our cruise were always willing to listen to requests.

“Discovering a destination through its culinary traditions is central to the Viking experience, and we are pleased that our approach to dining has resonated with so many curious travelers,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.

Drinks included are house wines, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Cocktails, premium wines and champagnes, and specialty spirits and liqueurs can be purchased. For guests who enjoy a wider selection of beverages, consider purchasing the Silver Spirits Beverage Package. It will cost extra but it allows guests to enjoy more wine selections and specialty drinks.

See the engineering behind Viking up close

The food and sights are quite impressive but nerdy tourists like me will be equally impressed by the intricate design of the ship and river locks that make these voyages possible. Personally, I think the engineering and science is an aspect of river cruising that is often overlooked.

Heimdal features 95 comfortable outside staterooms and a sun deck with 360-degree views & shaded sitting area. These riverboats are elegant, gigantic machines with millions of moving parts and staff that must work together flawlessly. Because of that, much thought goes into making travel aboard Viking efficient and safe.

The Rhône itself is an engineering masterpiece, with 12 main commercial/hydroelectric locks. Besides serving as a mechanism to move ships safely through the river, the locks also serve as dams providing clean energy to residents along the river.

One afternoon captain Richard Scheen made himself available to speak to guests about the ships engineering and the locks where we were able to ask all sorts of questions. One interesting aspect of the ship is that the wheelhouse of each riverboat is designed to lower into the deck, which was necessary during our trip because of so many low bridges.

“On our longships, the wheelhouse and top-deck structures are designed to lower hydraulically so the ship can safely pass under low-lying bridges on European and international rivers,” said Scheen, who also spoke about the river’s locks, how the boat recycles water and his career on the river. “I am still able to steer the boat safely but there is just enough room for the top of my head to peek over and see where I am going.”

One of the most exciting aspects of the river boating was sitting with Brenda on the patio and going through the locks system. I remember going through one of the locks while sitting on my patio, the walls so close to the boat that I could have reached out my hand over the railing and touch it. As magnificent as the sights were, watching the ship work and the skill of our captain and his crew was interesting.

A testament to unpretentious luxury

The best way I can describe Viking Cruises’ approach is unpretentious luxury.

The design and décor of the ship speak to an aesthetic of elegant simplicity, with light-filled spaces, expansive windows framing the ever-changing scenery, and an effortless flow from guest stateroom to sun deck to dining room. Brenda and I were never disappointed with the food. Each meal brought a sense of eager anticipation as we wondered what culinary delights the chef had in store for us. Every excursion offered something new to discover, whether it was a fascinating glimpse into local history, an opportunity to browse charming shops, or simply a chance to enjoy a romantic moment together. The beauty of the Rhône River, combined with the remarkable engineering and technology that make river cruising such a safe and seamless experience, appealed to my inner engineer. And throughout it all, the professionalism and warmth of the crew, along with the friendships we made along the way, left me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

Life on the water is not something I’m accustomed to and my life back in Canada looks nothing like this. Yet, somewhere along the journey I found myself feeling completely at home. There was a sense of comfort and belonging that made this beautiful floating retreat feel wonderfully familiar.

“Wherever the waters of life take us”

Eventually, the time came to say goodbye, making our final evening aboard a bittersweet occasion. We gathered for one last dinner together and celebrated the wonderful journey we had shared together. There was laughter, conversation and a festive spirit around the table, but beneath it all lingered a touch of sadness. None of us was quite ready for the journey to end.

As we wrapped up a delightful dessert at our table with Morris and Joan, Program director Tryfon Toumpakaris raised a glass to make a farewell toast to his guests.

“We came together for a short, wonderful time, enjoyed new adventures, enjoyed meals, made new friends and saw beautiful sights on the river,” said Toumpakaris. “We are going our separate ways now but we will always have these memories and we will always be able to share these beautiful moments – wherever the rivers of life may take us.”

Well said Tryfon. With luck it won’t be long before the waters of my life allow me to sail the calm and peaceful waters of the Rhône River on a Viking Cruise again.

MORE ABOUT VIKING RIVER CRUISES

Website: https://www.vikingrivercruisescanada.com/

List of Cruises: Click here

https://www.vikingrivercruisescanada.com/cruise-destinations/index-v2.html

Viking River Boats: Click here

https://www.vikingrivercruisescanada.com/ships/longships/index.html

Viking has a fleet of state-of-the-art ocean ships: Click here https://www.vikingcruisescanada.com/oceans/ships/index.html

Lyon & Provence Cruise Itinerary + Map: