Amsterdam: We arrived in Amsterdam early on embarkation day and Viking had us on the ship by 9am! Very smooth transfer. We waited and relaxed in the Viking Lounge until 11am when our cabin became available. After lunch on the ship, we went on the complimentary walking tour of Amsterdam that Viking organized. There were two tours that afternoon and we took the earlier one.
Where the ship was docked is so close and convenient to just walk to do some sightseeing! The train depot with lots of neat shops (cheese, delft, chocolate, etc) is a good starting point and it was maybe a 5-10 minute walk. Easy!
The tour took over an hour and the knowledgeable guide gave us instructions on how to get back to the ship in case we wanted to wander around a bit more after the tour. We went on one of the river cruises (recommended by the guide) to see more of the city.
Our cabin was #229 and it had a regular balcony which I really like even though it was too cold to stay out there for long. I think either the French balcony or the regular balcony rooms are worth it. However, our stateroom was pretty far from the lobby and the public areas so it always seemed like a hike through this really long hallway.
In our cabin were the audio devices for the excursions. You use them and put them back on their chargers for the next day. They're very good devices and you're not passing them around among other passengers. Very nice.
You could watch recent movies on the TV in the room. However, be aware that Viking presets the volume and some found it too low (including my husband!). So, talk to front desk and they can adjust it just so long you don't bother the other passengers with the noise.
The bathroom was tiny, like they usually are on these ships. But, the layout was excellent and the double doors on the shower really made it easy to use. The mirror never fogged up. People say the floors are hea
A tour of Heidelberg Castle before a quick walking tour of a section of Heidelberg. Great walking area.