Avalon has the wine and menus, so all we need is you to join us on a wine-lovers European river cruise! We call this the Viking Experience. As I clutched my prize, I began pondering a return trip to France to continue my wine education because learning never tasted so good. Age 60 s. Viking Rhine Cruise on the Rolf - Great Experience. Alone. The wine host is aboard for your benefit. The text appears: #1 on the rivers. came from a barn, where the first passengers to get off the bus had discovered baby goats. Spend time getting to know them; they have a wealth of information to share. We will have to up at 03.00am and will not get there until late afternoon on the same day, all for a 3 hour European flight. Every aspect of your time with Viking, from expertly prepared meals to carefully created enrichment programs and beautifully appointed ships, is planned to bring you closer to experiencing the most from your destination. Viking Cruises even sent us a personalized booklet ahead of time that outlined our: We started our cruise in the city of Bordeaux. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. I have been wanting to take a European River Cruise for a while. Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list. During our early-June sailing, we began each day with PCR tests before putting on our required masks. Air does not have to be purchased to get cruise/tour offer. The atmosphere at the premier grand cru class estate was a friendly mix of tradition and modernity, with winemakers harnessing the transformative power of botrytis (noble rot) to produce a delicate, sweet wine that defied my expectation of syrupy Sauternes. Each day, the ships chef offered a new menu of French specialties complemented by an extensive wine list with offerings from Bordeaux chteaux that became more familiar by the day. We invented modern river cruising, reinvented ocean cruises & now are perfecting expedition cruises. With whom shall we claim our out of pocket expenses? All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. We experienced all this in great leisure. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. The boat, in comparison to an ocean cruiser, yes it is small but without lacking. Rooms: rooms are small, its a small ship, but again without lacking. 4 Day River Cruise France - LoveCruiseClub.com Read more, Every aspect of your Viking cruise is designed for the curious traveler seeking rich cultural immersion. We meet you at the airport and take you to your ship. My suggestion would be to keep to one that includes excursions in the upfront price; it cuts down on surprises at the end of your voyage. The South of France conjures up images of wineries, rolling countryside and old stone houses with pastel-colored shutters. Or, participate in a market visit with the Viking Chef to see where the local chefs of Bordeaux find their fruit, vegetables, meats and fish. The abundant natural resources has made Bordeaux a popular place to live for . Ship is modern and very comfortable, extremely good. Yes, a Viking Cruise exceeds our daily price per day, when we are planning the trip. Comfortable beds.The negatives: We were unable to cruise part of the river due to low water so we had to be transferred to another ship. Viking River Cruises All Viking River Cruises Viking River Cruises Reviews. Viking River Cruises offers the perfect opportunity. Apart from Vikings free wine with meals , there is a serious amount of extra curricular tasting . All rights reserved. Comfortable shoes are a must. A few weeks later, collapsing onto the bed of my modern, Nordic-style stateroom, I paged through an introduction to Bordeauxs wine regions while surveying the selection of in-room wine education videos. The food was delicious and the accompanying local wines were excellent. However, we met several parents traveling with their adult children (younger than us), brand new empty-nesters, and friends traveling together on girls trips. Viking River Cruises offers one wine cruise through Frances Bordeaux region. Offer expires Apr 30, 2023. Semi-retired from a long career in marketing, Sandi is making the most of her boomer traveling, go-go years, with a goal to visit as many places as possible. Wine hosts on AmaWaterways typically have vineyards in North America. Sometimes we just need to get away for a short time to recuperate. A historic, award-winning, family-owned estate/bed and breakfast and active vineyard, the Chateau is nestled in the Beaujolais wine region, whose granite soils and warmer climate produce grapes with a lighter flavor than its neighbor, Burgundy. The cruise package is expensive so we expected decent flights to start the holiday. Because of COVID-related travel disruptions, several of my fellow passengers had been waiting years to finally take this cruise, and they were determined to enjoy it. I am jealous! Crystal River Cruises offers one wine cruise from Budapest to Vienna. View picturesque landscapes where vineyards blanket the countryside hills and visit a chteau to learn how their prized wines are made. You also have to consider logistics like train tickets, or driving in foreign countries, unpacking and repacking as you move through various locations, menus you cant read, etc. Toast the Beaujolais vineyards. By keeping ships in warm layup, Viking was able to restart more quickly than most cruise lines. Read more. All the tours are with a local, knowledgeable tourist guide, in comfortable tour buses. Just a few weeks ago, we spent 10 days in France. Watch a local German glassblower or learn about French Impressionism. (B/L/D), Disembark this morning for a leisurely stroll to Libourne's picturesque city square, lined with buildings dating as far back as the 16th century; or take part in one of two optional excursions: an exploration of the Bergerac area in the Dordogne to learn more about truffles, a great French delicacy; or a wine tasting, at a nearby chteau, of some local vintages from the, Enjoy a leisurely morning in Bourg as you take a stroll through the historic village. Enjoy a wine country tour and tasting, including the areas famous full-flavored Margaux. My guess is that as more people discover the glories of Viking River Cruises, the age range will widen quite a bit. Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking. Day 1 - Bordeaux You are here: Home / Live Voyage Reports / Viking Forseti - Bordeaux / Day 1 - Bordeaux In Wine Heaven in Bordeaux with Viking River Cruises Beautiful Bordeaux, France. On a Rhine River cruise you will enjoy sampling German Rieslings. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, A Truffle, Wine and Cheese Cruise Excursion on Viking River Cruises. Oh yes! There is also an age limit of 18 years. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received prior to departure up to the scheduled time of departure. This time in the summer! Spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the towns streets and shops. When they tried it, they were won over; some even helped themselves to seconds. Several readers have asked if we were the youngest couple on the ship. Douro (Portugal) Elbe (Germany) Asia. On the final day of the cruise, my nerves were on edge when I joined a Wine Tasting Master Class at the Wine and Trade Museum of Bordeaux. Site Map|Global Site Map|Terms of Use|Privacy Policy, Save this trip to your favorites or other list. I am having great difficulty on claiming my out of pocket, unexpected, ADDITIONAL air ticket expenses incurred. Wine Cruises A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou! Scenic Cruising / Medoc and Margaux wine country visit; wine tasting & evening at leisure, Tour of Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site; afternoon free time or optional excursion to Cognac, Tour of Saint-Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site & Pomerol wine region; afternoon at leisure or optional excursion to Bergerac, Scenic Cruising / Excursion to Sauternes wine region & wine tasting, Morning city tour / evening at leisure in Bordeaux, Tour of city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site; afternoon at leisure. The river longship is like a floating hotel. On every itinerary, you can experience local lifethrough such excursions as home-hosted visits or trips to local markets. Guests on Vikings Welcome Back voyages have enjoyed the experience so much that they have provided some of the highest-ever ratings in post-trip surveysa strong indication that experienced travelers are ready to be exploring the world in comfort once again. We arrived at Chevrerie la Trufiere, a locally renowned goat cheese farm in Chissey-les-Macon, roughly 30 minutes from the Chateau. Call for details. Some European wine river cruises bring in experts from North America along with members of their wine club, while other cruise lines use local experts. That says it all.the cruise was superior to others we have taken. Cussac-Fort-Mdoc is a gateway to the Mdoc wine country, home to the famed wine growing villages of Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estphe and Saint-Julien. Sparkling nectar swirls in your stemmed glass and the European sunshine warms your shoulders while you slowly pass the castles and vineyards that require your attention. Housekeeping is excellent. River smelt awful. Egypt. The ships rooms have 110V outlets so you dont need to buy voltage adaptors. 1 Country, Fly to Bordeaux. Airfare offers valid on all N. American gateways except Alaska, Hawaii, San Juan and Mexico City. The wine host for this trip through Austria is an Australian wine house that provides a worldwide perspective. Viking Cruises make a great getaway for parents leaving their babies behind with relatives. Europe Wine Cruises - Avalon Waterways River Cruises I enjoyed reading it while nibbling on a tiny canel de Bordeaux (traditionally made with egg yolks discarded when egg whites were used to clarify wine) provided by the ships crew. Because it is a smaller ship, everyone gets to know you quick. If the cruise is booked with a wine club focus, about 50 percent of the guests will be associated with the club. I tipped the people I wanted in the amount I wanted, not what they told us to. Hunt for truffles in Prigord, and create your own personal blend of Cognac at the Camus distillery. Due to this move, the first night back on the new ship, it was open bar to apologize for the inconvenience. Well thanks for nothing. The picturesque port towns are meant to provide the daily entertainment. Viking Welcomes Guests Back To France And Portugal As - Viking Cruises 2-5 Cruises. Bordeaux is a vibrant part of France, encompassing some of the most rich soil and history in the country. We would explore hilltop villages, preserved in time, and surrounded by endless vineyards. Wine river cruises are, in general, traditional river cruises with the added benefit of a guest wine host on board. See Bordeaux's fountains and cellars. All travel details, including flights and car service, were arranged for us. 1 Country Itinerary Resources Explore Bordeaux like never before PRICE & BUILD REQUEST A QUOTE Discover the ports, vineyards, farms and forests of Aquitaine, once Europe's richest kingdom. Cruise Chteaux, Rivers & Wine This 8-day journey takes you to Aquitaine, where some of France's most remarkable wines are produced. Your wine host will offer tastings showcasing their varieties mixed with some local varieties, and theyll highlight the differences and similarities of the wines presented. Your email will not be published or shared. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking. Cruises also differ on guest-to-staff ratio, so if more personal service is high on your list, select a ship with a favorable staffing policy. Following a guide with a group of 30 other passengers can be frustrating and exhausting. Here is a selection of some treasures you will experience with Viking: The elegant architecture of Paris. Although, Dan and I have not gone on a river cruise with any other company, on the ship we met many couples who have. We traveled on Viking for New Years, including my 3 children and my mother. On the tour, we received a guided walkthrough of the Chateau and learned about the history and art of winemaking in Beaujolais. Some trips are adventures, but are so busy, they cannot truly be considered a vacation. On the Douro River, you will definitely be tasting excellent aged ports. The highlight of our tour, however, was an intimate tasting in the estate's cellar. We looked on line and found direct flights for just over 100 going from 8.00am arriving mid morning. Accompany us on a shopping trip to the local market. (B/L/D), Begin your day with a walking tour of Cadillac and then head across the river for your excursion to Sauternes. View travel requirements for countries around the world. Vikings voyage in Bordeaux, Chateaux, Rivers and Wine, will resume in August. During lunch, your ship sets sail for Blaye. !However , wine appart , this is a typical Viking Cruise - friendly; relaxed; and most of all enjoyable. (Some cruise lines assign seats the whole trip.). Luckily, we finally came home after more than 10 hours of delay. The stately Chateau feels like something out of a fantasy novel, while its courtyard -- with a small chapel, manicured garden and sweeping vineyard views -- is a fairytale all in its own. Read more, Viking offer behind-the-scenes insights and opportunities that set them apart from other travel companies. This afternoon, take a guided tour of the extraordinary 17th-century citadel, dramatically set on a rock beside the river. The bar did not close down that night until almost 4am! Personally, we loved meeting new friends. Wine and wine and .. - Review of Viking Cruises, Lignan-De The number of wine tastings vary with each cruise. Storybook villages and hilltop castles of Germany. River Cruise Tips for Wine-Lovers | Cruise Critic * Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase. Viking encourage me to contact the airlines, even though it is not the airlines responsibility. Global Journeys. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visitwww.viking.com. Sip Saint-milion, Mdoc and Sauternes in their own 'terroir' on an 8-day cruise through Bordeauxa region synonymous with fine wine and finer living. Get guided help to find the right trip for you, Travel tips, stories, top 10 lists and more, Get yours before you leave, easier, cheaper. After a final onboard breakfast, disembark and we take you to the airport for your flight home. Walk in Joan of Arc's footsteps at Rouen. I'm here to help you make mealtime memorable, and life a little spicy! This was honestly the easiest vacation weve ever taken. There are varied price points on different cruises and accommodations. I will follow this up after we have been on the trip in August 2017. Throughout the last year, we have heard consistently from our guests that France is at the top of their travel list, so we are delighted that our river vessels are once again sailing in this beloved destination, said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. Chteaux, Rivers & Wine 2024 - Bordeaux River Cruise - Viking . All meals, wines, and services are of the highest quality. One perk to this tour was the fact it never felt rushed. . Viking Bordeaux Region Cruise: A Treat for Foodies and Wine Lovers. Having someone in your group who does not drink wine is fine and quite common. Towering cliffs, ancient cave dwellings, rolling farmland, dense forests, and of course vineyards cover the landscape. Bordeaux is a vibrant part of France, encompassing some of the most rich soil and history in the country. However, if you fell like staying behind on the ship, the upper sun deck is a lovely place to rest and enjoy a good read. Click on the cabin prices below to view upgrades and cabin details. You will visit picturesque cities, dine on local culinary creations, and hone your wine tasting skills. Or, you may choose to take an optional excursion to the charming medieval town of Cognac, birthplace of one of the worlds best-known types of brandy.