Viking Hlin Review

4.0 / 5.0
209 reviews

Good Cruise, Except for the Gastroenteritis

Review for Europe River Cruise on Viking Hlin
User Avatar
skylark77
First Time Cruiser • Age 50s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Aug 2015
Cabin: Deluxe Stateroom

Unfortunately, what should have been a great Rhine cruise was marred for over half the passengers on the Viking Hlin. Within two days of boarding the ship over 60 out of 188 passengers came down with gastroenteritis. The ship staff took virtually no measures to control the virus so it tore through the rest of the passengers in short order. Sick people were loaded onto tour buses with healthy ones, self-service buffets continued, and there was no systematic disinfection of handrails or shared furniture. To add insult to injury they didn't bother to obtain rehydration solution or antidiarrheal medication, even though they knew dozens of passengers were sick and local shops closed on the weekend.

Handling of special diets was adequate, but not up to the high standards they claimed when I booked my ticket. Despite my telling them about my gluten-free/egg-free diet six weeks in advance, breakfast was a sad affair. There wasn't a single bread or cereal aboard I could eat; even the hash browns were made with eggs. I was completely left out of the two afternoon teas because the only gluten-free option was egg custard.

If you don't have a special diet or mind a round of gastroenteritis with no medicine for relief, the rest of the cruise is to be recommended. Shore excursions are to carefully chosen sites, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The tour guides are somewhat variable in quality, but most are very good. I was only disappointed by one guide, who was intent on telling a particular story and glossed over what we were looking at. There are both included and optional tours, plus short walks into port cities lead by the conceirge. Be sure to consider the optional tours which go to interesting places and provide good value. Viking provides a transmitter/earpiece system so it's easy to hear all the narration. When the ship is cruising, there are slide shows in the afternoon, appealing spreads of local pastries, and music in the evening.

Cabin Review

Deluxe Stateroom

Cabin E

The dimensions and description of the deluxe stateroom on the website are accurate so I knew what to expect. The cabin is mostly bed, with a small built-in desk and a stool. There is also a wardrobe, drawers, and a small refrigerator. The bathroom is small but very functional. There is a television, but channels are limited and may not work well when the ship is moving. The windows on the waterline staterooms are up high. You can see out if you stand, but not sitting on the bed or stool. In order to see the scenery, you're going to want to spend most of your time in the lounge or sun deck.

Port Reviews

Amsterdam

Amsterdam was the embarkation city for this cruise. There was not a structured tour. I would highly recommended finding canal boat service that offers a tour of the city and don't miss the Van Gogh museum.

1 Helpful Vote
previous reviewnext review

Find a Viking Hlin Cruise from $2,199

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.